Castor Semi-looper
Achaea janata
Though it walks with the looping gait of an inchworm, it belongs to the Erebidae family, possessing only reduced prolegs that force this unique stride.
- Scientific name
- Achaea janata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Erebidae › Achaea
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical and subtropical forests, agricultural lands, and coastal woodlands.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on Castor (Ricinus communis) and Croton leaves; adults feed on ripening fruit juices.
- Range
- India, Australia, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands
- Size
- Wingspan of 50 to 60 mm
- Lifespan
- 30 to 45 days (complete life cycle)
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Widespread chemical pesticide application in agricultural zones.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Both the caterpillar and adult moth are safe to observe from any distance. Avoid handling the caterpillars directly as their hairs may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals; wash skin with soap and water if contact occurs.
Achaea janata , the castor semi-looper or croton caterpillar , is an erebid moth, the caterpillars of which are termed 'semi-loopers' due to their mode of locomotion. It is found from the Indo-Australian tropics and subtropics, extending south to New Zealand and east through the Pacific archipelagoes to Easter Island. It is a major pest of castor throughout the world.
Photo: Aalbert Rebergen, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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