Indian Tussock Moth vs Heart and Dart

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Indian Tussock Moth Heart and Dart
Scientific Name Euproctis lunata Agrotis exclamationis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Noctuidae
Size 25-35 mm wingspan 32-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Herbivores Root Feeders
Regions South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal) Europe, temperate Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Indian Tussock Moth

A yellow-brown moth with a distinctive dark crescent marking on the forewings. Its brightly colored, hairy caterpillars are covered in urticating hairs that cause severe skin rashes on contact.

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Did You Know?

The urticating hairs of the caterpillar can cause painful welts and dermatitis lasting several days in people who handle them.

Heart and Dart

An extremely common brown moth named for the heart and dart-shaped markings on its forewing. It is often the most abundant species in light traps across Europe.

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Did You Know?

A single light trap can capture over a thousand individuals in one night during peak emergence.