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 accountAt a glance
- Development ↘
- Long larval filaments disappear in the final instar. [1]
Identity and classification
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
- Brahmaea hearseyi White ↗
Holloway; The Moths of Borneo · Accessed 2026-10-13
- 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
- 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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