| Ardices canescens | |
|---|---|
| Female imago | |
| Larva | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Arctiidae |
| Genus: | Ardices |
| Species: | A. canescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Ardices canescens Butler, 1875 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Spilosoma canescens (Butler, 1875) |
|
Ardices canescens, the Dark-spotted Tiger Moth or Light Ermine Moth, is a moth in the family Arctiidae that is found across most of Australia. Formerly included in Spilosoma, but later generic status of Ardices was proved.[1] The larvae are polyphagous,[2] and are known to feed on Bidens pilosa, Helianthus annuus, Taraxacum officinale, Alcea rosea, Rosa odorata, Plantago,[3] Ricinus communis and Tradescantia albiflora.[2] The polyembrionic parasitoid wasp Copidosoma floridanurn sometimes uses this species of caterpillar as a host.[4]