About Rhodogastria amasis Cramer, 1780
Rhodogastria amasis, commonly called the tri-coloured tiger moth, is a species of moth belonging to the family Erebidae. This species was described by Pieter Cramer in 1779. It can be found in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The larvae of Rhodogastria amasis feed on species from the following plant genera and groups: Acacia, Calodendrum, Cassia, Cestrum, Clerodendrum, Cotyledon, Passiflora caerulea, Rhus, Senecio, and Tagetes. Although the larvae are covered in dense irritant urticating hairs, they are still commonly eaten by fiscal flycatchers and Cape robin-chats. These birds scrub the larvae’s hairs off against the ground before swallowing the larvae whole. Some species of cuckoos also eat these larvae.
