Black and red moth on a thistle

2 years ago
14

Zygaenae are small, stout, black insects, sometimes with metallic gloss. Their Forewings are elongate oval,black or red, rarely spotted with white or yellow. Hindwing small, usually red, seldom black. The moths are mostly local, their stations being often restricted to a mountain, a meadow, etc. They appear mostly in large numbers at their special localities, swarming about flowers, which they suck, fore instance Scabious, Thistles or Eryngium. They fly in a slow and steight mannner. Their body contains a yellow , acrid, oily liquid which renders them nauseous, protecting them not only against their enemies and predatory insects.Like all insects protected by the body-juices, they are extremely tenacious of life, enduring considerable wounds as well as resisting strong poison for some time . They occur in the Mediterranean coast area and Europe.

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