8 Mesmerizing Facts About Marvellous Madagascar Bullseye Moth (Antherina suraka-VIDEO)

Most people usually think of moths as drab brown or gray winged creatures that batter themselves against the front porch light. But moths also come in an incredible array of colors, with patterns and designs on their wings that rival the most beautiful butterflies.

When pupating, some larvae decide to spin an elaborate "double" layered porous cocoon – porous referring to the many tiny holes in the cocoon, which may serve as drainage holes for excessive water to cope with the heavy rains in the rainy season, and also with Madagascar's high temperatures by means of ventilation. This trait can be seen in other cocoon spinning Saturniidae of Madagascar such as Argema mittrei and Ceranchia apollina, that all of them seem to have cocoons with holes in them. Interestingly enough, a small but significant share of the larvae decide not to spin a cocoon at all, and pupate randomly on the floor a peculiar trait this species has, although it is unclear if this happens only due to disturbance or stress, possibly by other larvae, or if this happens in the wild aswell and not just in captivity.