Hairy monster
10th May 2008, Saturday
Getting up close and personal to a male Pale Tussock moth is an interesting experience. This one was on my kitchen window in Rye today. The male’s comb-like antennae with their large surface area are highly sensitive to specific scents (pheromones) given off by females of the same species, whose antennae are much spindlier without the combs. In general, moth antennae vary greatly in form, but butterfly antennae are different again, being straight and stalk-like with broader spoon-shaped ends or ‘clubs’.