Marbled white moth (Nyctemera coleta)

Marbled white moth (Nyctemera coleta) is a species of insect in the family Erebidae. It is a medium-sized, flying moth characterized by a blend of white and gray colors, a yellow head, and broad, triangular wings. These moths live solitary lives among the foliage of shrubs or low-growing trees.



Eggs

N. coleta adult (imago) deposits its eggs on the underside of leaves, laying them in clusters of 5–30. A single female typically lays 25–30 eggs per oviposition event. Over its entire life cycle, a female may produce a total of 300–400 eggs, though only about 20% successfully develop into larvae.

The eggs vary in maturity due to differences in their internal structure; some possess a thin interior layer, while others have a thicker one, which influences their ability to survive in specific environmental conditions. The eggs are yellowish-white and measure 0.181–0.336 mm. They typically incubate for 3–4 days—though this period can extend up to 7 days—before hatching into first-instar larvae.

Larvae

The larvae undergo five molts (instar stages) over a period of 23–25 days before reaching the pre-pupal stage. The larvae are black, with a white stripe across each body segment. They have an orange head (caput) and fine, black hairs lining both sides of the body, extending from the thorax to the abdomen.

The body lengths for the first through fifth larval instars are 1.2 cm, 1.7 cm, 2.1 cm, 2.7 cm, and 2.5 cm, respectively. The first-instar larvae are the most active, moving frequently and feeding on leaves. Second- and third-instar larvae are also highly active and consume nearly the entire leaf, leaving behind only the veins and the petiole (leaf stalk). Among the various parts of a plant, the leaves are the larvae's preferred food source.

By the fourth-instar stage, the larvae exhibit a decrease in both feeding activity and movement. Fifth-instar larvae exhibit a shortening of the body, which simultaneously widens laterally—a sign that the larva is preparing to transition into the pupal stage. This transition is marked by complete immobility and the cessation of leaf consumption. The total duration of the larval stage is 23–24 days. As the larva adapts to become a pupa, its skin thickens, and the dorsal and dorsolateral regions expand. These larvae are polyphagous leaf-eaters.

Pupa

The pupal stage is characterized by the presence of white, cotton-like silk threads that envelop the body; the outer layer hardens, and the larval hairs are shed. The body takes on an oval shape, with an average length of 2 cm for males and 2.5 cm for females; the coloration is a mix of yellow and black. The pupal stage lasts between 5 and 7 days. Female pupae are larger and heavier than male pupae. The prepupal stage lasts for 1 day.

Imago

The imago (adult) has a predominantly black body with white spots on the surface of its wings. Both wings are black and feature white markings. Female imagos live for only 6 days, while males can live for up to 8 days.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Tribe: Arctiini
Subtribe: Pericopina
Genus: Nyctemera
Subgenus: Coleta Hübner (1820)
Species: Nyctemera coleta Stoll (1782)

SYNONYMS

Phalaena coleta Stoll, 1782
Nyctemera nigrovenosa Moore, 1879

VERNACULAR NAME

Chinese (simplified): 毛胫蝶灯蛾
Chinese (traditional): 毛脛蝶燈蛾
English: Marbled white moth, White tiger moth
Indonesia: Ngengat macan putih
Japanese: ネッタイモンシロモドキ - ミツボシモンシロモドキ
Java: Renget macan putih
Malayalam: പകൽമണി
Taiwan: 毛脛蝶燈蛾

Aryo Bandoro
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