Rosy Tabby (Endotricha flammealis) lives in tropical forests across Southeast Asia. It feeds on lichen and moss.
Fascinating facts about the Rosy Tabby
- The species spans three continents, inhabiting western, central and southern Europe and spilling over into western Asia and North Africa. Its range stretches from Turkey and Crimea through Cyprus, Iran via the Caucasus, reaches Lebanon and Syria, and even touches Algeria and Tunisia.
- Endotricha flammealis is at home in a mosaic of habitats: open grasslands, heathy moors, dense woodlands, damp fens, scrubby edges, and even cultivated gardens. By thriving in both natural and semi-urban settings, the moth bridges wild ecosystems and human-altered landscapes. Its flexibility highlights the importance of preserving a patchwork of habitats for insect health.
- Adult rose-flounced tabbies sip nectar from a bouquet of wildflowers, including heather (Calluna vulgaris), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris). Their caterpillars, meanwhile, munch on common agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), bilberries (Vaccinium), and even dry willow (Salix) and oak (Quercus) leaves.
- Endotricha flammealis with a wingspan of just 18-23 mm, yet it strikes a pose like a tiny soldier: the head and front body lift onto the forelegs while the wing bases cling to the surface.
- In temperate zones like the British Isles, the rose-flounded tabby takes to the night sky only between July and August. During these months it is attracted to light.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia
HabitatTropical forests
DietLichen and moss
About the Rosy Tabby
In the warm, golden light of sunset, the Rosy Tabby moth flutters with delicate urgency, its wings a soft blur as it dances through the air with an ethereal elegance. With a gentle, feathery touch, it alights upon the tender shoots of its host plant, its slender body swaying in the breeze like a leaf on a summer's day. As it moves through the world, the Rosy Tabby leaves behind a trail of subtle beauty, its muted hues and whisper-soft movements a poignant reminder of the quiet wonders that await us in the secret lives of insects.
Hear the Rosy Tabby, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
More insects and spiders to discover
