Appearance
They are dark metallic blue with a couple of white polka-dots dotting the wings and upper abdomen. The tip of the moth's abdomen is bright red; it looks like a very dangerous wasp, but in fact is a harmless moth. The caterpillars are orange or dark orange with long black hairs. The caterpillars look dangerous, but the setae do not inflict any harm.
Naming
*''Syntomeida epilais epilais''⤷ ''Syntomeida epilais jucundissima'' Dyar, 1907
Habitat
They prefer neotropic areas, to which they are native. The North American subspecies is ''S. epilais jucundissima'', which is locally common in all areas of Florida, and has been seen as far north as Savannah, GA.Reproduction
Females contact male polka-dot wasp moths by means of ultrasonic signals. On the branch, the sound travels, and then the male follows the sound to his new mate. When he reaches her, he emits an answering signal.References:
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