Stippled cream moth
All images ©Sourendu Gupta

Urban Moths

This is a page on the moths of Mumbai. Even in this big city, moths can be seen all year round. But the two months between the end of the rainy season and the beginning of winter is when they swarm. I've been photographing the few which wander indoors for about a decade. While trying to identify them, I found that very little is actually known about them. So here is an attempt to put together some simple observations, in the hope that they will be useful. If you mail me new information, including corrections, possible, partial, or complete IDs, I'll be happy to acknowledge you here.

Some resources

This silhouette guide to identifying moth families is quite useful. Another useful resource is this guide. There are nice introductions to the anatomy of moths here and here. Wikipedia contains a glossary of entomological terms with illustrations which are quite useful. The shapes of antennae are often useful for identification.

There are few publicly available resources on Indian moths. The India Biodiversity Portal is one. Some help wih ID is also available in the Moths of India group on flickr. India Nature Watch is another useful site, although the number of butterfly sightings reported overwhelm the moths. The primary literature on Indian moths is hardly visible on the net. This report from Silent Valley is a rare exception.

Contact me

Urban Moths

You can visit a partial taxonomic tree which is organized according to the needs of amateur lepidopterists in Mumbai. There is also a dichotomous key for Mumbai's moths under development.

[#1] Spoladea recurvalis
commonly known as the beet webworm moth or the banded sable. superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae.
(ID help: Ryan Brookes)		 size: 1-2 cm FC=10-30% (8 Oct 14) Recorded on Oct 10, 2006; 28 Sep-15 Oct, 2014.
[#2] Sameodes cancellalis
commonly known as the banded pearl. superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae, subf Pyraustainae.
(ID help: Ryan Brookes)		 size: 1-2 cm FC=0-10% (8 Oct 14) more common a week earlier; one seen (2019) Recorded on Oct 17, 2006; 28 Sep-15 Oct, 2014; 13 Dec, 2019
[#3] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm FC=10-30% (8 Oct 14) Recorded on 28 Sep-10 Oct, 2014
[#4] Cnaphalocrocis medinalis
commonly known as the rice leafroller. Superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae. Family level identification can be made through the placement of the antennae at rest and the shape of the snout.
(ID help: Paul Pop)		 size: 1-2 cm FC=10-50% (8 Oct 14) less common a week earlier Recorded on 7-15 Oct, 2014
[#5] Paliga damastesalis
commonly called a teak leaf skeletonizer. f Crambidae. Possibly a species complex with P. rubicundalis and P. machoeralis.
(ID help: R. C. Kendrick)		 size: 1-2 cm A few specimens seen; more common in earlier years Recorded on Oct 10, 2006; Nov 2, 2010; 1-10 Oct, 2014
[#6] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm FC=0-20% (8 Oct 14) Recorded on 8 Oct, 2014
[#7] Synclera traducalis
superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout		 size: 1-2 cm many seen Recorded on 8-15 Oct, 2014
[#8] Pagyda salvalis
superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Known in south-east Africa, Sri Lanka, and in India it has been reported in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.		 size: 1-2 cm A few specimens seen Recorded on 7-10 Oct, 2014
[#9] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded sporadically between 7-15 Oct, 2014; 15 Oct, 2018; 9 Dec 2019
[#10] Superfamily Noctuoidea, genus Ctenoplusia? Because of the strangely folded wings. size: 2-4 cm a few specimens seen Recorded sporadically between 2-15 Oct
[#11] Somena scintillans
commonly called a yellow-tailed tussock moth. Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae (formerly f Lymantriidae tribe Leucomini) Tussock moths are named after their caterpillars, which are often hairy and the hair causes itches.
(ID help: Paul Pop)		 size: 1-2 cm two specimens observed (2014), several seen (2019) Recorded on 8-9 Oct, 2014, 9 Dec 2019
[#12] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae, possibly genus Scopula. Deep triangular forewings similar to uranids, but no tail, wavy pattern on the wings size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 7 Oct, 2014
[#13] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae, possibly genus Scopula. Deep triangular forewings, all four wings held flat out. Different from [#12] only in colour. size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen (2014), one seen (2019) Recorded on 8-9 Oct, 2014; 13 Dec, 2019
[#14] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae subf Geometrinae; emerald moth. Could it be in tribe Scopulini? The shape of the wings is very similar to [#12] and [#13], so could be in the same tribe. Note the four black spots on the wings size: 2-4 cm only one specimen seen Recorded on 4 Oct, 2014
[#15] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae Deep triangular forewings and all four wings held flat out. size: 2-4 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 1 Oct, 2014
[#16] Eudocima materna
commonly known as the dot-underwing. Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae, underwing moths Ophihedrini. The single dot in each of the coloured hindwings helps to identify this.
(ID help: Paul Pop)		 size: 4-8 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 17 Nov, 2007; 7 Oct, 2014
[#17] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 8 Oct, 2014
[#18] Superfamily Noctuoidea, possibly a fruit piercing moth, which would be f Erebidae, subf Calpinae, because of the protruding snout size: 0-1 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 8 Oct, 2014
[#19] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 8 Oct, 2014
[#20] Antigastra catalaunalis
commonly known as leaf roller or capsule borer. superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae, subf Spilomenilae Not to be confused with [#5]		 size: 0-1 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014 [ref]
[#21] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm a few specimen seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#22] Diaphania indica
commonly known as the ">cucumber moth. superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae. Note the protruding snout and the long antenna held back against the body		 size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen (2014), one again (2019) Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014; 22 Nov, 2019.
[#23] Superfamily Noctuoidea? Although there seems to be a protruding snout, the antennae are held away from the body. size: 0-1 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#24] Superfamily Noctuoidea, fruit piercing moth? then f Erebidae, subf Calpinae, because of the long snout size: 0-1 cm a few seen; common in most years Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#25] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Likely to be in the Parotis marginata species complex. size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#26] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm a few seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#27] Pygospila tyres
commonly known as the spotted grass moth. superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae Note the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout		 size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#28] Maruca vitrata
commonly known as the legume-pod borer; superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Note the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout		 size: 1-2 cm a few seen (2014), one seen (2019) Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014; 13 Dec, 2019
[#29] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae Because of the wing shape size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#30] Clear-winged moth superfamily cossoidea/sesioidea, f Sesiidae. Or could it be a Maruca? size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#31] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae? Only the forewings are visible, and the antennae are held away from the body. size: 1-2 cm several seen; common in most years Recorded on 9 Oct, 2014
[#32] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 0-1 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#33] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae? Only the forewings are visible. size: 0-1 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#34] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm a few seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#35] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 0-1 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#36] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae? The antennae are held outside the wing. size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 10 Oct
[#37] Spodoptera litura
commonly known as the cotton leafworm. Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae (formerly Noctuidae) subf Hadeninae		 size: 2-4 cm several specimens seen Recorded on 10 Oct
[#38] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae? The antennae are held away from the body. size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct
[#39] Acherontia lachesis
commonly called Death's head hawk moth. Superfamily Bombycoidea, f Sphingidae, One of the largest Indian moths, seems to prefer dark corners.		 size: 8-16 cm only one specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct
[#40] Traminda mundissima
Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae Background colour seems to be extremely variable; identifiable by the wing shape and the red arc of a vein with a dot below it on each forewing		 size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 9-11 Oct, 2014; 9 Oct 2019
[#41] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae subf Geometrinae; emerald moth Note the four black spots on the wings. Differs from [#14] in shape. size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#42] Hippotion rosetta
commonly known as Swinhoe's straited hawkmoth. Superfamily Bombycoidea, f Sphingidae The colour is quite variable. The very similar pale striated hawmoth is paler in colour and is said to be distinguished on dissection. 		size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014; 7 Oct, 2018
[#43] Trigonodes hyppasia
commonly known as the triangled moth, Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Noctuidae (now changed to Erebidae)		 size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#44] Cydalima laticostalis
superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae Note the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout		 size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#45] Grammodes geometrica
Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae		 size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#46] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae? Only the forewings are visible, and the antennae are held away from the body. size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#47] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#48] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen (2014, 2019) Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014, 13 Dec, 2019
[#49] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 2-4 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 10 Oct, 2014
[#50] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae Because of the wing shape and placement of antennae size: 1-2 cm a few seen Recorded on 11 Oct, 2014
[#51] Superfamily Noctuoidae, f Euteliidae. Note the abdomen is bent upwards at rest size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 11 Oct, 2014
[#52] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 1-2 cm a single specimen seen Recorded on 11 Oct, 2014
[#53] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 28 Sep-10 Oct, 2014
[#54] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae (formerly Noctuidae), subf Plusiinae? Subfamily identification based on the furry thorax. size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014
[#55] Argina astrea
commonly known as the crotolina podborer. Superfamily Noctuoidea. The markings are highly variable, but they are not the same as [#9].
(ID help: Paul Pop)		 size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen (2014), several seen (2018) Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014; 28 Feb, 2018
[#56] Superfamily Geometroidea, f Geometridae subf Geometrinae; emerald moth Differs from [#14] in having no black spots on the wings size: 2-4 cm one seen; more common in other years Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014
[#57] Probably Superfamily Pyraloidea, family Crambidae. Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Likely to be in the Parotis marginata species complex. The brush at the end of the thorax disperses pheromones, and indicates that this is a female. Note the distincttion from [#25]. size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014
[#58] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014
[#59] Superfamily Noctuoidea? size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 6 Jan, 2020
[#60] Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae, subf Lymantriinae, commonly known as a Tussock moth. Subfamily categorization based on the shape of antennae, and the characteristic shapes of the legs. size: 0-1 cm one specimens seen Recorded on 12 Oct, 2014
[#61] Superfamily Geometroidea f Uraniidae? Are those hindwings tailed? size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 13 Oct, 2014
[#62] Superfamily Noctuoidea, possibly f Erebidae, subf Calpinae; the fruit piercing moths. The long snout looks like Marapana flaviscosta, and there are said to be similar species in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. size: 0-1 cm one specimens seen Recorded on 12 Oct
[#63] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 0-1 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#64] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae? Note the differences from [#50] size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 13 Oct, 2014
[#65] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 0-1 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#66] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae? Are those hindwings tailed? size: 4-8 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 13 Oct, 2014
[#67] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae? size: 2-4 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#68] Superfamily Geometroidea f Uraniidae? Are those hindwings tailed? size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#69] Superfamily Geometroidea f Uraniidae? Aren't those hindwings tailed? size: 1-2 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#70] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout size: 0-1 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#71] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae? size: 0-1 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#72] Glyphodes canthusalisi
superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae. Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout.
(ID help: Paul Pop)		 size: 2-4 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 14 Oct, 2014
[#73] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Not the same as [#4] size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 15 Oct, 2014
[#74] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Not the same as [#5]. size: 1-2 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 15 Oct, 2014
[#75] Superfamily Geometroidea f Geometridae? size: 4-8 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 15 Oct, 2014
[#76] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. Not the same as [#44], but there seems to be some confusion in the identification of the two. In various places moths which look like Stemorrhages costata are also called Palpita, for example, P. unionalis, etc. size: 2-4 cm a few specimens seen Recorded on 15 Oct, 2014
[#77] superfamily Pyraloidea, f Crambidae/Pyralidae? Because of the placement of the antennae and the shape of the snout. size: 2-4 cm one specimen seen Recorded on 16 Dec, 2019
Chrysorabdia bivitta
Superfamily Noctuoidea, f Erebidae		 size: 1-2 cm a few seen (2014); many (2019, 2020) Recorded on 7-9 Oct, 2014; Nov-Dec 2019; Jan 2019
Unidentified
Always seen in association with C. bivita. Juveline? Sexual dimorphism?		 size: 1-2 cm a few seen (2014); many (2019, 2020) Recorded on 7-9 Oct, 2014; Nov-Dec 2019; Jan 2019

The easiest way to spot moths in a city is to keep a light on at night. Some of the larger moths can only be seen at night. Many of these are drab in colour. If they are seen during the day, then they may look like bird droppings on a leaf, or a piece of dry leaf stuck on a branch. Such desperate camouflage could mean that they make tasty morsels for birds. You can occassionally see them in your house, hiding in the folds of a curtain, or wedged into a dark corner. Then there are the moths, usually smaller, which remain on your walls through the day. These are often interestingly patterned. The fact that they do not bother to hide, and are not eaten up by birds and lizards may mean that they are unpalatable and secrete toxins.

Is this just a neat story? The larger nocturnal moths which disappear during the day are usually from the Noctuoidea superfamily. Many of these moths eat plants which are full of toxins. Often insects which are seen to be unpalatable to predators are known to feed on such toxic plants. So that could make many of these cryptic moths toxic, and without need of camouflage. So the situation may be more complex than it first seems.

Moths are of economic importance partly because of the damage they can do to crops.                   A Geometrid caterpillar exhibits its characteristic looping movement as it gobbles the leaves off a methi plant.             The dark mess on the leaves of a methi plant could be the eggs of a Geometrid moth.

In any case, find it interesting to count the number of each species I can identify. You see only a few specimens of most species. The rest are abundant, and one can do statistics with them. Generally the number of moths attracted to a light seems to vary with the temperature and humidity: the hotter and more uncomfortable you feel, the more moths you can see. In the first week of October in 2014, most of the moths seemed to belong to superfamily Pyraloidea. In the second week they seemed to be outnumbered by Noctuoidea.

FC is a frequency count. An external light is kept on all night, and clusters of 10 moths are counted in the morning. FC for any species in a cluster is the fractional count for that species in that cluster. Since the spread in counts can be large, at least four clusters are counted to give a spread in the FC. Since Noctuoidea disappear by morning, FC counts only the distribution of Pyraloidea.