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Luminary Oddities · Natural history & art

Brahmin Moth

Brahmaea hearseyi

Lepidoptera / Brahmaeidae

Brahmaea hearseyi carries an intricate arrangement of dark median wing fields and closely rippled pale fasciae. Its caterpillars change markedly during development, losing their long filaments before the final instar and raising the forebody when disturbed.

Read the species account
Brahmaea hearseyi, dorsal view
Brahmin MothDorsal view.Illustration adapted from File:Brahmaea hearseyi (White, 1862).jpg by goldentakin. CC BY 2.0.

At a glance

Family ↘
An intricately patterned member of Brahmaeidae. [3]
Defence ↘
Disturbed larvae raise their forebody and tuck the head inward. [1]
Development ↘
Long larval filaments disappear in the final instar. [1]

Identity and classification

Brahmaea hearseyi White, 1862 belongs to Brahmaeidae; Brahmophthalma hearseyi is an alternative combination. [3][2]

Morphology and identification

Dark median fields interrupt closely rippled pale wing bands. The pale forewing subapical sector has a convex inner boundary, contrasting with Brahmaea wallichii. [1]

Distribution and habitat

Holloway’s range includes northeastern Himalaya, western China, Myanmar, Sundaland and the Philippines. Bornean records extend from lowland rainforest to approximately 1,200 m. [1]

The mitochondrial study sampled adults in Jiangxi, China. [2]

Life cycle

The Genting rearing documented black filaments and yellow lateral areas in middle instars. The final instar lost its filaments and became yellow with white markings. [1]

Feeding and host plants

The Genting larva was reared on privet, Ligustrum, in Britain. [1]

The Chinese study identifies Oleaceae, including privets, forsythia, jasmine and olive, as important food plants. [2]

Behaviour

A threatened caterpillar raises its forebody and tucks the head inward, presenting thoracic filaments or final-instar eyespots. [1]

Distinctive biology

The sequenced mitochondrial genome of Jiangxi material contains 15,442 base pairs and 37 genes: 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer-RNA genes and two ribosomal-RNA genes. [2]

Nomenclature and history

White published hearseyi in 1862; Brahmophthalma subsequently appeared as a genus or subgenus. [1]

Artistic interpretation

Display and care

Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.

Sources and further reading

  1. Brahmaea hearseyi White ↗

    Holloway; The Moths of Borneo · Accessed 2026-10-13

  2. The Primary Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Lappet Moth Brahmophthalma hearseyi (Lepidoptera: Brahmaeidae) and Related Phylogenetic Analysis ↗

    Insects 12:973 (2021) · Accessed 2026-10-13

  3. Brahmaea hearseyi: mitochondrial ND 2 reference record ↗

    NCBI RefSeq · Accessed 2026-10-13

Sources checked 2026-10-13. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.

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