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Tropical Swallowtail Moth - Lyssa zampa
Topic Started: Jun 18 2014, 12:52 AM (2,080 Views)
Scalesofanubis
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Tropical Swallowtail Moth - Lyssa zampa

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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Uraniidae
Genus: Lyssa
Species: Lyssa zampa

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Lyssa zampa, which is also known as the tropical swallowtail moth is a species of moth of the family Uraniidae. It can be found from Himalaya to Borneo and the Malay Peninsula.
The moth has a wingspan of 100–160 mm. The moth is most abundant from June to November depending on the location. The larvae feed on Endospermum and other members of the rubber tree family (Euphorbiaceae).
Usually attracted to bright lights in urban area. This insect is nocturnal. Although the insect is not poisonous, it can cause one's skin to itch and thin hairs that cover its wings are dangerous to asthma sufferers.

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Edited by Taipan, Jun 18 2014, 10:13 PM.
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Scalesofanubis
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SmartNews Keeping you current

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Giant Moths Have Descended on Malaysia, And No One Knows Why

Giant moths are making a mass appearance in Southeast Asia

By Mary Beth Griggs
smithsonian.com
June 16, 2014


The moths, Lyssa Zampa, are startlingly large. Their wingspans can grow up to six inches. They aren't poisonous, and they aren't known to carry diseases. But, in Malaysia and Singapore, there are a lot of them—an unusually heavy presence. There are so many giant moths swarming parts of these countries that thousands of them managed to disrupt a soccer match.

For the most part, they’ve been welcomed as curiosities by people living in the region. But there are superstitions about the moths, as Malaysian newspaper The Star reports:

“Old people say someone is visiting,” said Olivia Airine Sue, alluding to the myth that moths were physical manifestations of departed loved ones.
“Not a good omen,” said user Tom Said, while Vivien Wong wrote that it “must be a sign that bad things are going to happen soon”.


The moths usually appear in the summer, but rarely in such large numbers. They haven't been active en masse like this for almost a decade now, since 2005.

It's clear that the moths are attracted to the lights of the city, and but the reason for this year's influx is still a mystery. Some experts think that the large numbers this year are due to a lack of predators and parasites. Others say that weather conditions this year might have been particularly good for caterpillars.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-moths-are-flying-around-malaysia-180951746/?utm_source=facebook.com&no-ist

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-moths-are-flying-around-malaysia-180951746/#XhQ7o1GeGheA0vj6.99
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