Are bella moths poisonous?

Bella moth (Utetheisa ornatrix) spotted in USA by PN user LivanEscudero. The Bella moth (Utetheisa ornatrix) has a very interesting biology. It’s larvae feed on members of the genus Crotalaria, often known as rattlepods. These plants are poisonous and as a result, the moths are poisonous in all stages of life.

What do bella moths eat?

He discovered the culprit was the bella moth, which he observed eating seeds from pods that grow on the plant. The pods resemble pea pods and rattle when the plant stem is moved. The seeds contain alkaloids that are poisonous to some insects and other animals.

Where does the bella moth live?

The ornate bella moth is found from Connecticut westward to southeastern Nebraska, and southward to New Mexico, southeastern Arizona and Florida (Covell 2005, Powell & Opler 2009, North American Moth Photographers Group Undated).

How big does the Utetheisa bella moth get?

It has a wingspan of 33–46 mm. Moths reside in temperate midwestern and eastern North America as well as throughout Mexico and other parts of Central America. Unlike most moths, the bella moth is diurnal. Formerly, the bella moth or beautiful utetheisa of temperate eastern North America was separated as Utetheisa bella.

What kind of moth is the bella moth?

Linnaeus (Linnei 1758) originally described two species in the genus Phalaena — ornatrix (more whitish or pale specimens) and bella (brightly colored specimens), and Hübner later moved them to the genus Utetheisa. Forbes (1960) included both forms under the species Utetheisa ornatrix.

Where does the Utetheisa bella live in the world?

Moths reside in temperate midwestern and eastern North America as well as throughout Mexico and other parts of Central America. Unlike most moths, the bella moth is diurnal. Formerly, the bella moth or beautiful utetheisa of temperate eastern North America was separated as Utetheisa bella.

Is the ornate bella moth nocturnal or diurnal?

Unlike most moths, which are nocturnal, the ornate bella moth is diurnal and flies readily when disturbed. Therefore, it is more commonly seen than nocturnal species of moths by the public. Figure 1. Adult and larva of the ornate bella moth, Utetheisa ornatrix (Linnaeus).