A Glimpse into Moths from India’s Most Biodiverse Regions - Meghalaya
Brief photographic stories on moth diversity across three of India’s richest ecosystems: Meghalaya, the Western Ghats and the Andaman Islands. All the moths were documented in and around different homestays/homes without using any active methods to attract them.
Moths are in the order Lepidoptera (the same as butterflies), though for every species of butterfly, there are approximately ten more species of moths, meaning the variation among moths is enormous. Globally, around 160,000 moth species have been described, including over 12,000 moth species recorded from the Indian subcontinent. They can often be distinguished from butterflies by their antennae and other morphological characteristics. Most moths are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night, though some are active during the day as well. Despite their diversity, moths often go unnoticed, even though they play an important role as bioindicators of environmental health. This is our small attempt to help you appreciate these captivating insects.
CHERRAPUNJI - 1484m, LAITLUM - 1800 m
I was sitting by my window, admiring the vast stretch of forest that seemed to go on endlessly below me. As the plane flew above the dense green landscape, my mind began wandering to everything that can fly.
Meghalaya, situated in northeastern India, is part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and is known for its heavy rainfall, rolling hills, deep valleys and diverse forest ecosystems. Having been born and brought up on the Andaman Islands, I was excited to explore biodiversity beyond the islands, especially moths. Meghalaya’s humid climate and varied vegetation provide favourable conditions for a rich assemblage of moths, with around 2,247 species recorded to date (Joshi et al., 2021). Interestingly, the Erebidae family seems to stand out as the most dominant macro-moth group in the region.
During my stay in Meghalaya, I visited Laitlum, with its ridges overlooking the Mawkynrew Basin, and Cherrapunji, on the southern edge of the Khasi Hills, facing the plains of Bangladesh. Both places receive extreme rainfall. I wondered what impact all this has on delicate creatures like moths. It was this very question, along with my unbridled curiosity, that led me to explore the moth life hidden within these misty hills. Here’s a glimpse.
Milky tiger moth (Areas galactina) - Family:Erebidae Vamuna sp. - Family:Erebidae Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) - Family: Saturniidae Vamuna sp. - Family: Erebidae Thespea virescens - Family: Limacodidae Heortia vitessoides - Family: Crambidae Banyan tussock moth (Perina nuda) Family: Erebidae Condica sp. - Family: Noctuidae Miltochrista sp. - Family: Erebidae Waved China-mark (Parapoynx fluctuosalis) - Family: Crambidae Subfamily: Larentiinae Family: Geometridae Pearl Grey Moth (Poliobotys ablactalis) - Family: Crambidae Subtribe: Lithosiina Juxtarctia sp. - Family: Erebidae Mung Bean Moth (Maruca sp.) - Family: Crambidae Family: Erebidae
Click an image to see each moth's tentative ID.
About the author
Priya is a local girl from Havelock who is both an engineer and an educator. She has been teaching island kids for the past 3 years. She has helped and supported more than 500 children with school and empowered them to realise their dreams and ambitions.
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