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Nocturnal
Mistletoe
Moth - Comacrus behri
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Nn
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| Moths
and butterflies are similar insects both of which have broad,
colourful wings and long tubular mouthparts to feed on
nectar. A major difference between the two groups is that
butterflies are active by day - diurnal - and moths are
active by night - nocturnal. That seems like a nice
easy distinction which has only one problem, some moths, such as
the Mistletoe Moth, are daytime insects. These beautiful
creatures look very much like butterflies, even to the extent that
they rest with their wings together, as butterflies do.
The Mistletoe Moth name comes from
the fact that the caterpillars will feed on no other species of
plant. This is a common feature of mistletoes and virtually
all Australian species are the preferred food plant of at least
one species of butterfly or moth.
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