Appearance
It has a wingspan of 33–46 mm. Moths reside in temperate midwestern and eastern North America as well as throughout Mexico and other parts of Central America. Unlike most moths, the bella moth is diurnal. Formerly, the bella moth or beautiful utetheisa of temperate eastern North America was separated as Utetheisa bella. Now it is united with the bella moth in Utetheisa ornatrix.
Distribution
Utetheisa ornatrix is found in the southeastern United States, ranging from Connecticut westward to southeastern Nebraska and southward to southern New Mexico and Florida. This species is found to be more common in the southern part of this range, in accordance to the availability of its host plant in more southern regions. It is also found throughout Mexico, South America, and Central America.Reproduction
The bella moth also demonstrates complex mating strategies and is thus an excellent model to study sexual selection. Females mate multiply and receive spermatophores containing sperm, nutrients and alkaloid compounds from numerous males as nuptial gifts. Females choose males according to the intensity of a courtship hormone, hydroxydanaidal, and carry out a sperm selection process after copulation with various males.Food
The larvae usually feed on Crotalaria species, which contain poisonous alkaloid compounds that render them unpalatable to most predators. Larvae may prey on other bella moth larvae in order to compensate for any alkaloid deficiency.References:
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