[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":206},["ShallowReactive",2],{"families_en:\u002Fsemeystva\u002Ferebidae":3,"alt-locale:families_en:\u002Fsemeystva\u002Ferebidae":148,"section-listing:disabled":161,"related-covers:en:":162,"section-listing:families_en:\u002Fsemeystva":163},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"coverImage":133,"description":134,"extension":135,"faq":136,"imagePrompt":146,"latinName":25,"meta":147,"navigation":148,"order":149,"pageType":150,"path":151,"publishedAt":152,"readingMinutes":153,"relatedLinks":154,"seo":155,"sitemap":158,"stem":159,"taxonRank":150,"updatedAt":154,"__hash__":160},"families_en\u002Fsemeystva\u002Ferebidae.md","Tiger Moths",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":124},"minimark",[9,14,31,35,41,47,53,59,63,80,91,95,98,102],[10,11,13],"h2",{"id":12},"what-are-tiger-moths","What are tiger moths",[15,16,17,18,22,23,26,27,30],"p",{},"Tiger moths is the common name for the subfamily ",[19,20,21],"strong",{},"Arctiinae",", part of the family ",[19,24,25],{},"Erebidae",", one of the largest moth and butterfly families in the world with around ",[19,28,29],{},"24,000 described species",". Erebidae itself is remarkably diverse, encompassing litter moths, tussock moths, lichen moths, and tiger moths — groups once treated as separate families but merged following molecular phylogenetic studies in the 2010s. In everyday and popular-science usage, the name \"tiger moths\" has stuck specifically to Arctiinae — the most recognisable and colourful part of this vast family.",[10,32,34],{"id":33},"characteristic-features","Characteristic features",[15,36,37,40],{},[19,38,39],{},"Stark colour contrast."," In most tiger moths the forewings are drab — cream, grey, or brown with a mottled pattern — while the hindwings, when exposed, flash bright red, yellow, or orange with dark spots. This combination of camouflage at rest and a sudden burst of colour when threatened is the group's most distinctive trait.",[15,42,43,46],{},[19,44,45],{},"Chemical defence."," The caterpillars of many tiger moths sequester toxic plant compounds — pyrrolizidine alkaloids from ragwort and related plants — which are retained into adulthood. Some species also exude a foamy secretion from thoracic glands when attacked by a predator.",[15,48,49,52],{},[19,50,51],{},"Ultrasonic defence."," Adult tiger moths can produce ultrasonic clicks using specialised structures on the thorax (tymbals) that jam bat echolocation — one of the few insect groups with an active acoustic defence against bat predators.",[15,54,55,58],{},[19,56,57],{},"\"Woolly bear\" caterpillars."," The larvae are densely covered in long bristles, often black, rust, and orange in colour, making them among the most recognisable caterpillars of the Northern Hemisphere.",[10,60,62],{"id":61},"main-representatives","Main representatives",[15,64,65,68,69,73,74,79],{},[19,66,67],{},"Garden tiger moth"," (",[70,71,72],"em",{},"Arctia caja",") — the group's archetype: cream-and-brown forewings with a unique individual pattern, scarlet hindwings with blue-black spots. See the ",[75,76,78],"a",{"href":77},"\u002Fen\u002Fvidy-babochek\u002Fvidy\u002Fmedvedica-kaja","species page",".",[15,81,82,83,86,87,90],{},"Other well-known genera include ",[70,84,85],{},"Tyria"," and ",[70,88,89],{},"Diacrisia",", along with a large number of tropical genera with equally bold colouration.",[10,92,94],{"id":93},"range-and-habitat","Range and habitat",[15,96,97],{},"Erebidae as a whole is a globally distributed family, found on every continent except Antarctica. Tiger moths (Arctiinae) are especially diverse in the tropics, but many species, including the garden tiger moth, are widespread across the temperate zones of Eurasia and North America, where they inhabit meadows, forest edges, gardens, and other open habitats with varied herbage.",[10,99,101],{"id":100},"how-not-to-confuse-them-with-other-families","How not to confuse them with other families",[103,104,105,114,121],"ul",{},[106,107,108,109,113],"li",{},"From ",[75,110,112],{"href":111},"\u002Fen\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fbarkhatnitsy","satyrs"," and other day-flying butterflies: tiger moths fly mainly at night and rest with their wings held roof-like, concealing the bright hindwings.",[106,115,108,116,120],{},[75,117,119],{"href":118},"\u002Fen\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fsaturniidae","giant silk moths",": tiger moths are noticeably smaller and lack the characteristic eyespots of Saturniidae.",[106,122,123],{},"From other moth families: the diagnostic combination for tiger moths is a drab forewing contrasting with a bright hindwing, together with a densely haired caterpillar.",{"title":125,"searchDepth":126,"depth":126,"links":127},"",2,[128,129,130,131,132],{"id":12,"depth":126,"text":13},{"id":33,"depth":126,"text":34},{"id":61,"depth":126,"text":62},{"id":93,"depth":126,"text":94},{"id":100,"depth":126,"text":101},"\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Ferebidae.png","Tiger moths (Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae) — brightly coloured night-flying moths with chemical defences and furry caterpillars. One of the largest moth families.","md",[137,140,143],{"q":138,"a":139},"Are tiger moths and Erebidae the same thing?","Not quite. Erebidae is one of the largest families of Lepidoptera in the world, with around 24,000 described species, and it includes very different groups: litter moths, tussock moths, lichen moths, and tiger moths. What is commonly called \"tiger moths\" is the subfamily Arctiinae within Erebidae — the part of the family best known to the public thanks to its bright colours and furry \"woolly bear\" caterpillars. A taxonomic revision in the 2010s merged the formerly separate family Arctiidae (\"tiger moths\") with the former tussock and underwing moths into the single, expanded family Erebidae — hence the naming confusion.",{"q":141,"a":142},"Why are tiger moths so brightly coloured if they fly at night?","The bright colouring is not for attracting mates in daylight but a warning (aposematic) signal aimed at predators. Many tiger moths are toxic or distasteful thanks to chemicals the caterpillar sequesters from its host plants, and the bold contrast of red, yellow, or orange against black is a universal \"unpalatability code\" recognisable to birds and other predators even at dusk. At rest, the bright hindwings are often hidden beneath drab forewings and revealed only in a sudden flash when threatened.",{"q":144,"a":145},"What is a 'woolly bear' caterpillar?","This is the common name for the densely haired caterpillars of tiger moths — long bristles cover the whole body and serve a defensive role: they mildly irritate a predator's skin and mucous membranes, make the caterpillar harder to grip, and break off easily, lodging in an attacker's mouth. This distinctive caterpillar gave the whole group its name in both Russian and English usage.","Photorealistic macro photo, Arctia caja garden tiger moth with wings spread showing creamy white and dark brown patterned forewings and vivid scarlet red hindwings with blue-black spots, resting on green leaf, 16:9",{},true,6,"family","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Ferebidae","20.07.2026",1,null,{"title":156,"description":157},"Tiger Moths (Erebidae) — brightly coloured moths with chemical defences","Tiger moths: the Arctiinae subfamily within Erebidae, aposematic colouration, 'woolly bear' caterpillars. Description, example species, how to tell them apart from related families.",{"loc":151},"semeystva\u002Ferebidae","-5M0ybXJ5upw92HaRmFcQ9R51VwVM-0WAmAjt6c9HMI",[],[],[164,170,175,181,187,193,194,200],{"title":165,"description":166,"path":167,"coverImage":168,"publishedAt":169,"order":153},"Nymphalidae","Nymphalidae — the largest family of day-flying butterflies: tortoiseshells, admirals, fritillaries, checkerspots, and satyrs.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fnimfalidy","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fnimfalidy.png","01.05.2026",{"title":171,"description":172,"path":173,"coverImage":174,"publishedAt":169,"order":126},"Swallowtails","Swallowtails (Papilionidae) — a family of large, striking butterflies: swallowtail, scarce swallowtail, Apollo, and clouded Apollo.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fparusniki","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fparusniki.png",{"title":176,"description":177,"path":178,"coverImage":179,"publishedAt":169,"order":180},"Whites and sulphurs","Whites (Pieridae) — butterflies with white and yellow wings: large white, small white, brimstone, and black-veined white.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fbelyanki","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fbelyanki.png",3,{"title":182,"description":183,"path":184,"coverImage":185,"publishedAt":169,"order":186},"Blues","Blues (Lycaenidae) — small butterflies with blue, copper, or brown wings: one of the most species-rich families of day-flying butterflies.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fgolubyanki","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fgolubyanki.png",4,{"title":188,"description":189,"path":190,"coverImage":191,"publishedAt":169,"order":192},"Satyrs","Satyrs (Satyrinae) — a nymphalid subfamily with characteristic eyespots. More than 2,400 species worldwide, many in temperate regions. Specialized on grasses.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fbarkhatnitsy","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fbarkhatnitsy.png",5,{"title":5,"description":134,"path":151,"coverImage":133,"publishedAt":152,"order":149},{"title":195,"description":196,"path":197,"coverImage":198,"publishedAt":152,"order":199},"Skippers","Skippers (Hesperiidae) — stocky butterflies with a large head and a darting flight, morphologically intermediate between typical butterflies and moths.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fhesperiidae","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fhesperiidae.png",7,{"title":201,"description":202,"path":203,"coverImage":204,"publishedAt":152,"order":205},"Giant Silk Moths","Giant silk moths (Saturniidae) — the world's largest moths, marked by eyespots on the wings. Adults do not feed and live only a few days.","\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fsaturniidae","\u002Fimages\u002Fsemeystva\u002Fsaturniidae.png",8,1787125907364]