Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica


Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica is a moth from Madagascar. It was discovered in 2006 that it frequents sleeping birds at night, and drinks their tears, using a specialized, harpoon-like proboscis. Tear-feeding moths outside of Madagascar are not directly related to this species, and have evolved dissimilar mechanisms for drinking from large animals like deer or crocodiles.
The adults have a wingspan of 52 mm.

Distribution

This species is known from Nigeria, South Africa and Madagascar.