The Maltese Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa ssp. melitensis) is a moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...

 endemic to the Maltese Islands which falls under the family Arctiidae

Arctiidae

Arctiidae is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This family includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths , which usually have bright colours, footmen , lichen moths and wasp moths...

.

General features

This moth, known as the Rubin in Maltese

Maltese language

Maltese is the national language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English,while also serving as an official language of the European Union, the only Semitic language so distinguished. Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic...

, can grow up to 20mm. Its two forewings are dark brown in color whilst the back wings are reddish-pink in color. One can also see certain markings on the wings

Insect wing

Insects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities. Even our understanding of the aerodynamics of flexible, flapping wings and how...

 with the forewings having one spot each and the back wings having around four markings each.

The caterpillar

Caterpillar

Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...

 looks rather furry, a feature common in Arctiidae

Arctiidae

Arctiidae is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This family includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths , which usually have bright colours, footmen , lichen moths and wasp moths...

 caterpillars. In fact, the caterpillars are known as 'woolly bears'.

Food

The caterpillar feeds on borage

Borage

Borage, , also known as a starflower, is an annual herb originating in Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as Asia Minor, Europe, North Africa, and South America. It grows to a height of , and is bristly or hairy all over the stems and leaves; the leaves are...

 Borrago officinalis (known as Fidloqqom in Maltese), and on bugloss

Bugloss

Bugloss is a name used for several plants in the borage family :*Barrelier's bugloss *Bugloss or small bugloss *Bugloss fiddleneck...

 (plants from the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Echium

Echium

Echium is a genus of 60 species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae.The type species is Echium vulgare, viper's bugloss. Species of Echium are native to North Africa, Europe, Madeira and the Canary Islands, but have also become invasive in southern Africa and Australia...

e.g. Pale Bugloss Echium italicum which is known as Lsien il-Fart Abjad in Maltese).

Population

The Maltese Ruby Tiger Moth, although endemic, is common throughout the Maltese Islands.