#chrysocale principalis

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Princely Tiger Moth: these strikingly colorful moths can be found in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras

The princely tiger moth (Chrysocale principalis) has a unique, almost rainbow-like appearance, with iridescent/metallic scales that produce a broad range of colors across the wings, thorax, and abdomen. These colors can include shades of pink, gold, green, blue, and purple.

This species is particularly colorful, but aposomatic coloration in general is a trait that occurs in many different species of tiger moth; the moths often store toxic and/or unpalatable compounds within their own bodies as a way to discourage predators from eating them, and their brightly-colored markings then warn the predators to stay away.

Moths are often viewed as the boring, more plainly-colored version of butterflies, but they are much more diverse, more interesting, and more colorful than people generally realize -- as the princely tiger moth (and many other species) clearly demonstrates.

Chrysocale regalis: this species belongs to the same genus, and has a similarly colorful appearance

Chrysocale ignita: also known as the ignita wasp moth

Sources & More Info:

The Lives of Moths: Page 73

Texas Entomology: The Princely Tiger Moth

The Macrolepidoptera of the World: Chrysocale principalis

iNaturalist: photos of C. principalis, C. regalis, and C. ignita

[moth-friends]

Chrysocale principalis

[herpsandbirds]

Princely Tiger Moth (Chrysocale principalis), family Erebidae, Guatemala

photograph by Helh LH

[daily-dose-of-lepidoptera]

Daily Dose of Lepidoptera

[Day 32]

-Hickory Tussock Moth-

Lophocampa caryae

-Scopula opicata-

-Princely Tiger Moth-

Chrysocale principalis

[ex0skeletal-undead]

Hello! I want to draw a moth oc in the style of cuphead and was wandering if you have any moths to recommend me? A white one and one of your own color choice would be good!

BOY DO I. May I suggest the white plume moth, Pterophorus pentadactyla, because they are tiny and beautiful and look like fairies. If you don't want it to be ALL white, I'm a big fan of the sagebrush sheep moth, Hemileuca hera. Also love love love the white witch, Thysania agrippina, which has the largest wingspan of any moth in the world, although they are more sorta light beige and brown than white.

If I were gonna choose a moth to base an OC around personally I might go with the princely tiger moth, Chrysocale principalis, which has some wild colors. Or maybe the Chinese moon moth, Actias dubernardi, which is so pretty it looks fake, or possibly the comet moth, Argema mittrei. Or maybe the oleander hawkmoth, Daphnis neri, which has beautiful shades of green. Wallich’s owl moth, Brahmaea wallichii, has some really cool patterns you could work with. If you wanted to get wild and base it on a caterpillar instead of an adult moth, I would recommend Citheronia phoronea, which looks like a weird spiny goth.

If none of these do it for you, I’d check out photos on inat of lepidopterans here. You can filter by family if you’re particularly into a certain type of moth :)

[onenicebugperday]

I was asked to post some of my favorite colorful moths so here’s a small sampling! Some are very common or well known and others less so but I cherish them all.

Comet moth, Argema mittrei:

Photo by imbeaul

Indian moon moth, Actias selene:

Photo by ygurjar

Clown tiger moth, Idalus herois:

Photo by Andreas Kay

Io moth, Automeris io:

Photo by anita363

Rosy maple moth, Dryocampa rubicunda:

Photo by mayacrow

Tiger moth, Chlorhoda thoracica:

Photo by Andreas Kay

Oleander hawkmoth, Daphnis nerii:

Photo by diptihumraskar

Tiger moth, Anaxita decorata:

Photo by agroecologo

Tiger moth, Barsine striata:

Photo by hugoto

Princely tiger moth, Chrysocale principalis:

Photo by flecksy

Saturniid, Loepa formosensis:

Photo by wallacechen

Beautiful tiger, Amphicallia bellatrix:

Photo by easleybirding

[sol-lunas]

Princely Tiger Moth, Chrysocale principalis by Ian & Kate Bruce Via Flickr: A beautiful daytime moth with Iridescent wings. We sighted the Princely Tiger Moth high in the Mil Combres mountains in the Highlands of Mexico. They are found in Guatemala and Mexico and this one was on Ageratum flowers, Whiteweed in the USA, a genus of 40-60 flowering annuals and perennials native to Central America and Mexico with four species found in the USA.

[herpsandbirds]

Hola Paxon! I really really love your blog, it is an amazing reminder how beautiful our planet is. May I ask you for your favorite Mexican bird or bug? Please keep that beautiful work, kind regards from Mexico!

Mexican Critters:

Why yes I do have some favorite Mexican birds and bugs, here are 2 of each for you...

Texas Wasp Moth (Horama panthalon), family Erebidae

photograph by sunnspi

Princely Tiger Moth (Chrysocale principalis), family Erebidae, Sierra Chincua, Mexico

photograph by Juan Carlos Pérez M.

Red Warbler (Cardellina rubra), family Parulidae, order Passeriformes, Oaxaca, Mexico

Photograph by José Miguel Pantaleón Inoa

Pink-headed Warbler (Cardellina versicolor), family Parulidae, order Passeriformes, Chiapas, Mexico

photograph by danialdschumann

[ankewehner]

The genus Chrysocale has C. principalis, the princely tiger moth, and  C. regalis. They are very shiny.

*checks her species-names-database in the works*

Queen Alexandra's sulphur

Tiger Mimic-Queen (aka tropical milkweed butterfly)

Royal mantle (Catarhoe cuculata)

Chocolate royal (Remelana bella)

Splendid royal moth (Citheronia splendens)

Imperial blue charaxes (Charaxes imperialis)

Common imperial (Cheritra freja)

White Imperial Butterfly (Neomyrina nivea)

Red imperial (Suasa lisides)

Nawab butterflies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyura

Tau emperor (Aglia tau)

Lesser purple emperor (Apatura ilia)

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)

the genus Asterocampa has another 4 butterflies with "emperor" in the name https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterocampa

Silver emperor (Doxocopa laure)

Pavon emperor (Doxocopa pavon)

Golden emperor moth (Loepa katinka)

Golden emperor [butterfly] (Dilipa morgiana)

Pine tree emperor moth (Nudaurelia cytherea)

Madagascan emperor swallowtail (Papilio morondavana)

(not claiming completeness)

Hey! I know this is kind of a weird question, but do you know any moth/butterfly species that are named after/commonly associated with royalty (besides the obvious monarch butterfly and emperor moth)?

Hmmm just things I can think of offhand, there’s Phidippus regius, the regal jumper and the imperial moth, if that counts. Also the assassin bug called the horrid king. There’s the queen butterfly, Danaus gilippus, and the Queen of Spain fritillary, Issoria lathonia. There’s a group of dragonflies called king skimmers, and one called the blue emperor. I’m sure there are lots more if anyone else can remember any to add!