which contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These make it unpleasant to taste and poisonous to birds which would otherwise attack it.

(Photo: copyright of Rob de Vos)

The adult moth has black forewings each with a broad irregular diagonal white band, The hind wings are white with broad black margins. The body has alternate black and yellow bands. The moth is frequently seen flying during the day.

The species occurs elsewhere in the orient, including :

as well as Queensland, Australia. The range is the same as that of Nyctemera secundiana, and it is possible that these two are not different species, but subspecies, or even just ecological variants of the same species. This cannot be decided until they have been more studied.

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 434.

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