Jersey Tiger
Euplagia quadripunctaria
When resting, its wings form a striped triangle mimicking a leaf, but if threatened, it flashes brilliant orange-red underwings to startle predators.
- Scientific name
- Euplagia quadripunctaria
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Erebidae › Euplagia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, woodland edges, damp glades, gardens, and rocky limestone cliffs.
- Diet
- Adults feed on nectar from hemp-agrimony, buddleia, and bramble. Caterpillars feed on nettles, ground ivy, and plantains.
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
- Size
- Wingspan of 52 to 65 mm
- Lifespan
- Up to 1 year (adults live for about 4-6 weeks)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, pesticide use in gardens and agriculture, and loss of nectar-rich wildflowers.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can safely observe this moth from any distance. If it lands on you, let it rest; it does not bite or sting. Avoid touching its wings to prevent damaging the delicate scales.
Euplagia quadripunctaria , the Jersey tiger , is a day-flying moth of the family Erebidae. The adult wingspan is 52–65 millimetres (2.0–2.6 in), and they fly from July to September, depending on the location. They tend to fly close to Eupatorium cannabinum , where they are hard to notice because of their camouflage.
Photo: Albert Cardona, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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