# Ruby Tiger Moth

*Phragmatobia fuliginosa*

The caterpillars produce biological antifreeze compounds that allow them to survive sub-zero temperatures and freeze solid during winter hibernation.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Erebidae › Phragmatobia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Open meadows, heathland, moorland, calcareous grasslands, and roadsides
- **Diet:** Larvae eat dandelion, dock, plantain, heather, and clover; non-feeding adults live off stored larval fat
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, Siberia, North America
- **Size:** Wingspan 28–38 mm
- **Lifespan:** 5–12 days
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Agricultural intensification, excessive mowing of road verges, and pesticide use
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. The adult moth cannot bite or sting. The densely haired caterpillars are not toxic, but rough handling may dislodge hairs that can cause mild, localized skin irritation. If irritated by caterpillar hairs, wash the affected area gently with soap and water.

## About

Phragmatobia fuliginosa , the ruby tiger , is a moth of the family Erebidae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/10867bad-4d2b-4953-98fe-3aeb4803b55a
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/143114
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmatobia fuliginosa
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/5617091/medium.jpeg (purperlibel, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.