Baphomet moth is a Creatonotos species whose scientific name is Creatonotos gangis and belongs to the genus Creatonotos. The species can easily identified with the help of its red abdomen with black dots running up the body, however, in rare instances, the abdomen can be yellow as well. The species is considered a pest that primarily feeds on a variety of foods including everything from rice to sweet potatoes. Here is some of the interesting Baphomet moth facts
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Baphomet Moth Facts
- The male moth has four large inflatable extensions on its abdomen called coremata. They’re used to waft its pheromones and lure female moths for mating.
- Baphomet moths mostly thrive on pomegranate trees. The species belongs to the order of Moths and butterflies and is listed in the family of Tiger moths.
- They are mostly seen in the regions of South East Asia and Australia. Carl Linnaeus described it in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum.
- Th appearance of the adult species comes with white hindwings and brown forewings. The wingspan can grow upto 4 cm, however, the abdomen is red or, more rarely, yellow.
- The eggs laid are yellow and round in shape. These eggs are laid in rows on the leaves of food plants. The caterpillars are brown hairy animals with a yellow stripe along the back and have a polyphagous diet. They primarily feed on groundnuts, rice, ragi, sorghum, Pennisetum americanum, coffee, sweet potato, and lucerne crops.
- To attract mates, male species secrete the pheromone hydroxydanaidal. The amount and size of the coremata produced depends on the diet the moth experienced as a caterpillar. For example, if the larval diet contained pyrrolizidine alkaloids, then the coremata become large and the male species will release upto 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of Hydroxydanaidal, however, in the other case the coremata do not grow large and no scent is produced.
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- The purpose of the Baphomet moth or general moth species is that they have a great impact on plants by eating their leaves. Baphomet moth can grow upto 4 cm.
- The larvae of Baphomet moth can cause extensive damage to the foliage of pomegranate trees.
- Baphomet moth is not dangerous to humans and does not pose any health issues to humans and on the safety as well.
- As a juvenile, Baphomet moth feeds on the leaves and plants such as clover, alfalfa, and soybeans but as an adult, they are not fed at all since its sole purpose is to mate and reproduce.
- The avarage lifespan of the Baphomet moth is short and it will last for only a few weeks to a month when they only focus on mating and reproducing.
- It is also sometimes known as a “molting moth” because, during its growth, it sheds its skin-like outer layer several times, much like a snake sheds its skin.
- The natural predators of the Baphomet moth include birds, bats, and other nocturnal predators. The common names are “Giant Leopard Moth” or the “Fruit-Piercing Moth”.
- The unique part of the Baphomet moth is that it comes with four long protruding structures called coremata that are used to attract mates. They also can pierce the skin of fruit and drink the juice and hence it gets their name as “Fruit-Piercing Moth”.
- There are no major defensive techniques used to protect itself from predators, however, they have some natural camouflage that helps them to blend into its surroundings.
- Baphomet moth can sometimes harm crops specially when the larvae feed on the leaves of plants like clover and soybeans. Inspite of this, it is not considered as a major threat to agricultural pest.
- Baphomet moth is a nocturnal species that is active primarily at night. The species is not listed under endangered category and have a fairly good population.
- The natural habitat of moth species includes forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas. It is also believed that the Baphomet moth has been introduced to other parts of the world through the transportation of goods and materials, as well as accidental release.
- The species cannot be kept as a pet since it is a wild species that requires specific environmental conditions to survive and thrive.
- There is no known economic or cultural importance associated with baphomet moth.
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