Myrmecopsis strigosa explained

Myrmecopsis strigosa is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Herbert Druce in 1884. It is found in Mexico and Guatemala.^[1] The wingspan is about 25 mm.^[2]

It is thought to be a Müllerian mimic of the wasp Parachartergus apicalis, with predators paying a high penalty for mistaking M. strigosa for the wasp and there is a small reward from correctly identifying it since M. strigosa is bitter tasting and covered in scales.^[3]

References

• Web site: Pitkin . Brian . Jenkins . Paul . amp . Search results Family: Arctiidae . Butterflies and Moths of the World . Natural History Museum, London.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Savela . Markku . Myrmecopsis strigosa (Druce, 1884) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . August 29, 2019.
2. Web site: 930455.00 – 8277 – Myrmecopsis strigosa – (Druce, 1884) . North American Moth Photographers Group . Mississippi State University . August 29, 2019.
3. Simmons . R.. Weller . S.. What kind of signals do mimetic tiger moths send? A phylogenetic test of wasp mimicry systems (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Euchromiini). Proceedings: Biological Sciences. 269. 1495. 983–990. 2002. 12028753. 1690985. 10.1098/rspb.2002.1970.