A Peculiar Moth with Hairy ‘Butt Appendages’ on Earth

A post on moth has been posted on Facebook that has created news everywhere. The name of the moth is Creatonotos gangis. It lives in parts of Southeast Asia and Australia. The post was done by Facebook user Gandik from Semarang, Indonesia who posted the picture and video of this weird insect with the caption “If you do not have a butterfly, please." In the video viewers can watch the moth that is rhythmically waving a bizarre, hairy appendage that looks like a large, grey "X."

The appendages that one sees are actually called a coremata, known to be an organ at the end of a male moth’s abdomen that can be everted. According to the Coffs Harbour Butterfly House in Australia these can be everted in order to expose tufts of hair. In the video, one can see that when appendages are inflated, then this moth releases pheromones from this hairy organ. Farmers cannot withstand this moth because their caterpillars eat their crops that include soyabeans, rice and maize.

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: www.livescience.com