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Online, 11 Jun 05 Mam-moth invasion by Dawn Quek SOME say they are the reincarnation of deceased relatives; others just see them as pests that nibble away at our fabrics. Over the past month, people have been seeing these big moths — some as large as the span of a hand — all over around Singapore. The nocturnal Giant Uranid moth (also known as Lyssa zampa) — distinguished by a white band on its black or dark brown wings — is native to Singapore, said Ms Linda Chan, 25, a laboratory technologist. "Usually, I only see them in forests," she said. So, why have they been appearing islandwide lately? Mr Simon Chan, the chairman of the Butterfly Interest Group of Nature Society (Singapore), explained that the number of predators of caterpillars — birds, lizards, parasitic flies and wasps — have dropped, leading to an increase in the moth population. Also, moths, being hardier than butterflies, thrive in residential areas, he said. Unlike some other species that can cause rashes, the Giant Uranid doesn't pose a health threat. Those with a fear of moths, however, may want to switch on their tungsten lights at night. The brighter white light emitted by fluorescent lamps tends to attract the moths. links More info and links on Siva's habitatnews blog Related articles on Singapore biodiversity |
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