Sep 11, 2025
Metalmark Moth (Saptha divitiosa), family Choreutidae, Philippines
photograph by Dix Balino
seen from Colombia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Hungary
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from Iceland
seen from Philippines
seen from Philippines
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Bangladesh
Metalmark Moth (Saptha divitiosa), family Choreutidae, Philippines
photograph by Dix Balino
I love the Metalmark Moth
Silly mimic guy
What’s your favorite moth and why….stares at you
Hehe my favorite moth? Ooooo well I have a lot of favorites but my number one? The Metalmark moth! Their whole thing is they can mimic jumping spiders. They have a specific wing markings, positioning, posture, and jackleg movement that resemble those of jumping spiders!! They do that to avoid things that would try to eat them.
This is what they look like! Sweet lil buggers I know. See the little lines on their wings? Those are supposed to look like Spider legs!
Here's another varient of them, in a darker color!
I have a video of how they look on the move, it's really fascinating!
You can see the jerky, more halty movements of the moth. They look like how a lil jumping spider would move see!
I love these lil guys so so so SO much
Bug of the Day
Pretty cool to get a metalmark moth (Prochoreutis inflatella - Skullcap Skeletonizer Moth) at the lights the other night, a new family for the yard!
#1624 - Saptha libanota
Photo by Benedicte Whitfield in the Cairns Botanical Gardens, Northern Queensland.
AKA Tortyra sybaritis
One of the Metalmark Moths, (Fam. Choreutidae). This particular species is native to Papua New Guinea and northern Queensland, but the foodplant and caterpillar are unknown to science. Other Metalmark species are are known to skeletonise plant leaves, and a few are minor pests.
Metalmarks are often day-flying, and those in the genus Brenthia have eyespots on the wings and are thought to mimic jumping spiders.
Metalmark Moth, Brenthia sp., Choreutidae by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: watch my VIDEO: youtu.be/CRrudymAG88 from Ecuador
Metalmark Moth (Saptha divitiosa), family Choreutidae, Philippines
photograph by Vliente Rey
Tiger Metalmark Moth (Choreutis xanthogramma), family Choreutidae, Philippines
photograph by Vliente Rey