Odonestis bheroba


Odonestis bheroba is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae first described by Frederic Moore in 1858.

Distribution

It is found from Sri Lanka to northern India, Nepal, northern Vietnam, northern Thailand, southern and eastern China, Myanmar and Taiwan.

Description

Body dark orange red. Forewings are almost triangular with a bluish or greyish suffused external margin. Postmedial fascia of forewing is strong. White discal spot and the fasciae are distinct which is mostly flecked with dark scales. Hindwings are darker. Caterpillars are known to feed on Melastoma normale, Rubus species and other Melastoma species.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized.
SubspeciesDistributionWingspanLarval food plants
Odonestis bheroba formosae Taiwan and coastal forests of eastern China Quercus species and fruit trees
Odonestis bheroba bheroba Moore, 1858-1859Northern India, Nepal, southern and eastern China, northern Thailand, northern Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka39–43 mm in male 56–58 mm in femaleMelastoma normale, Rubus species, in captivity is as polyphagous as O. pruni and accepts European Salix, Quercus, Prunus, Sorbus and Malus