KARWAR : Phyllodes consobrina, one of the rare species of moth, was spotted for the first time in the Western Ghats of Uttara Kannada district.The elated naturalists have found this species in Anmod forest near Castle Rock and Honnavar in U-K district. Phyllodes consobrina is a noctuoid moth in the Erebidae family, Calpinae sub-family, and its wings are its main attraction.
Earlier, the species was found in South Asian countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Tibet, Japan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Philippines. Recently, its presence was reported in some parts of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, Kodaikanal Hills in Tamil Nadu, Kannur and Palakkad districts in Kerala. Studies were also conducted to spot phyllodes consobrina during the British time.
G F Hampson, a British entomologist, had written a book, ‘The Fauna of British India’ in 1894. In his book, he stated that the earlier distribution of phyllodes consobrina moth was restricted to Andaman Islands, north-eastern India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Later, this species was recorded in Thailand, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Manjunath Nayak, a biodiversity researcher, said there are thousands of moths seen in the environment, but phyllodes consobrina is one of the rarest moths, which is seen in other countries and a few parts of India. But, for the first time in Karnataka, a forest watcher has spotted this moth in the district,” he said.