Photo 15931362, (c) magriet b, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by magriet b

Attribution © magriet b
some rights reserved
Uploaded by magrietb magrietb
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Speckled Grey Footman (Siccia caffra)

Observer

magrietb

Date

November 3, 2016

Description

Kleinmond dotty moth visitor egg panic, again


3 November 2016:

I've noticed this moth a few times by the porch light, it is small but pretty. This is the first female I've seen, so she got to stay in for a couple of nights. She hardly moved at all, and played dead whenever I prodded her. I got 7 tiny pink eggs for my trouble, covered in a dusting of feathery stuff.

15 November 2016:

Oops, two of the eggs hatched! The usual rush to find a food plant panic has begun. Help on identification would be deeply appreciated.

17 November 2016:

The rest of the eggs had hatched. The caterpillars do not appear to be eating anything but they are so small that it is hard to tell. I have provided a variety of leaves including Rhus and milkwood as suggested, and a bit of lichen from the roof. I think they're all hiding in the lichen, but it is so hard to keep track of such tiny creatures. More leaves and perhaps another lichen species or two on this afternoon's menu.

Sizes