Biology:Darna pallivitta

Short description: Species of moth

Darna pallivitta
Damage to Cocos nucifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Limacodidae
Genus:	Darna
Species:	D. pallivitta
Binomial name
Darna pallivitta (Moore, 1877)
Synonyms
Miresa pallivitta Moore, 1877

Darna pallivitta, the nettle caterpillar or stinging nettle caterpillar, is a moth of the family Limacodidae. It is native to China , Taiwan, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Java and Borneo. But it is now also established in the Hawaiian islands and Japan .

Food

The larvae feed on the leaves of a wide range of plants, including:

• Areca
• Caryota
• Cocos
• Phoenix
• Rhapsis
• Veitchia merrillii
• Adenostemma
• Commelina diffusa
• Breynia
• Vigna marina
• Cordyline terminalis
• Dracaena
• Iris
• Ficus
• Averrhoa carambola
• Coffea arabica
• Pipturus albidus
• Alyxia oliviformis
• Monstera
• Neodypsis decaryi
• Wedelia
• Tillandsia cyanea
• Desmodium uncinatum
• Erythrina sandwicensis
• Cuphea
• Beaucarnea recurvata
• Cordyline marginata
• Ophiopogon
• Clidemia hirta
• Tibouchina
• Musa
• Psidium
• Jasminum multiflorum
• Arundina graminifolia
• Panicum repens
• Paspalum conjugatum
• Pennisetum purpureum
• Macadamia and Gardenia

When larvae are ready to pupate, they migrate to protected areas of the host and pupate in clusters. The pupal stage lasts for 17–21 days.

External links

• NPAG Report on Darna pallivitta

Wikidata ☰ Q5224090 entry