Edebessa bicolor, La Isla Escondida, Colombia

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comments (23)

Flown Kimmerling

Lion

This is so strikingly beautiful! I have never seen anything like it! Posted 6 years ago

Christine Young

Lion

Incredible! It looks like a ladybug ;)

My first thoughts are either lymantriidae or lasiocampidae... Posted 6 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Or, maybe a Saturniid (Subfamily Hemileucinae)? Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks, Christine. I'm unable to find anything similar looking yet in lymantriidae or lasiocampidae.
    As for saturniid kind of the same story and I think they are usually quite large?
    
    I should perhaps have indicated its size in the first place :) I'd say top to bottom about 2-3cm, pretty small.
    
    Such an explicit look yet so hard :) Posted 6 years ago
3. Flown Kimmerling
  
  Lion
  
  I was telling Jason the exact thing about it looking like a ladybug! It is wild!! Posted 6 years ago
4. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Maybe its mimicking one? Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Oscar Neto
      
      Lion
      
      Not mimicking Ferdy. They would need to coexist on the same plant, environment, have years of interactions that would benefit them (what would a lady beetle benefit the moth besides the warning coloring which can be obtained from anything else and is a general rule of warning color?). Also, the coloring similarities, even when identical may not indicate any cause of mimicking. Such as the genus Cryptanura. Take a look at my post on Cryptanura and it will explain it better. There are creatures with the same traits as Cryptanura that are probably not mimics. Holymenia clavigera is, though. This moth, for instance, would also need to have other similar behaviors to an insect in order to be considered a mimic. An example of mimetism is Dycladia sp. and Lycid beetles; the Lycid beetles have an extremely foul taste that predators tend to avoid. Dycladia are found in the same environment overall as Lycid beetles and due to some natural prank they evolved to acquire the benefit of scaring away birds due to the Lycids' foul taste. I've seen "identical" insects of different orders that are not mimics. What is scientifically comproved is that, for example, Cryptanura is mimetized by Holymenia clavigera and maybe a few others. Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Oscar Neto
        
        Lion
        
        My recommendation: Create a DISQUS account on Insetologia - https://www.insetologia.com.br/2016/07/lagarta-em-pimentao-em-sao-paulo.html
        
        On the comments, post the picture followed by location found and, if possible, date. Any other details such as wingspan or size, or host plant or plant found will help. Cesar will try to identify it (can take from 2 to 3 days, never more). He is a friend of mine and owner of the site. I think he can understand English really well, if he can't call me up and I will translate it for you. Or you can write the whole text and show me or Christine and I will translate it to portuguese so you can post there and he understands better. I won't promise an ID since it is a moth, but I believe he can at least come to a discussion as to what he believes. Posted 6 years ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        I'ts not working for me. I already have a Disqus account and am logged in but whenever I try to comment there it says I should be logged in first :( Thanks for the suggestion though! Posted 6 years ago
  3. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    It really does look like the ladybug version of a moth. So cute! Posted 6 years ago
  4. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks a lot to Lisa and her professor for giving the essential clue that this concerns the Edebessa genus!
    Which has only 3 species. I checked reference photos of all three and most likely match seems to be Edebessa bicolor. Posted 6 years ago
  5. 1. Flown Kimmerling
      
      Lion
      
      I'm so happy my contact could be of help! He is amazing! Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        As are you! Posted 6 years ago
      2. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        So awesome that you got an ID!! Posted 6 years ago

Patomarazul

Lion

So beautiful! Posted 6 years ago

Christine Young

Lion

Soooo, I asked Oscar Neto about this moth, and he did some research and found a photo of a similar one:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/entomopixel/39507016982/in/photostream/

Unfortunately, there is no ID. But, he said he'd keep looking, which is very hopeful because if anyone can find an insect ID, it's Oscar! Posted 6 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  He did say that his best guess would be Lasiocampidae. But, not all genera have photos online, so it may be really difficult to find a match. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Oscar Neto
    
    Lion
    
    I'm not even sure it is a Lasiocampid. It's my best bet so far, but moths have way too many families which include subfamilies and tribes and many genera. Best bet so far is Lasiocampidae but not an affirmation. The picture I provided is not the same individual, unless some sexual dimorphism is present, but probably in the same genus (when it comes to moths I doubt every single thing and detail). However, I can't even affirm it is in the same genus (although it is ID'less anyway, there). Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Oscar Neto
      
      Lion
      
      Finding the ID of the moth in the picture I provided will show the possible correct direction of at least a tribe that can be looked into to find your specimen's ID. Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Thanks so much for adding your thoughts, Oscar. Você é muito apreciado! Posted 6 years ago
3. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks for asking Oscar, I will try some of his tips!
  Interesting that the reference describes it as a large moth: it isn't. Posted 6 years ago
4. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Sure thing. Maybe a similar genus to the photo, if not the same genus. That is weird about the size difference though. I hope you can get an ID! It's so distinct that I assumed it would be an easy ID at first! But, I am thinking that there are no easy IDs with most S. American moths! Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      I also tried a reverse image search where you input the image and Google tries to find a similar one: matches were not even close. Ah well, somehow I have a feeling that one day we will run into the ID of this one. It's too explicit to be unnamed. Posted 6 years ago

The Edebessa bicolor

''Edebessa bicolor'' is a moth of the Megalopygidae family. It was described by Heinrich Benno Möschler in 1883. It is found in Suriname and French Guiana.

Info 3 0

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies

Species identified by Ferdy Christant