About Ethmia nigroapicella Saalmüller, 1880
Ethmia nigroapicella, commonly called the kou leafworm, is a moth species belonging to the family Depressariidae. This species has been recorded in Madagascar, the Seychelles, India, Assam, Burma, Samoa, the Philippines, Hawaii, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. The wingspan of adult moths measures 24 to 28 mm (0.94 to 1.10 inches). The forewings have a grey base marked with 15 scattered black dots and an additional row of 7 black dots along the outer margin. The hindwings are orange-yellow, with a dark brown patch at the tip that covers one-seventh of the hindwing area. The larvae of this moth feed on plants in the genus Ehretia, specifically including Ehretia dicksoni var. japonica, Ehretia laevis, and Ehretia buxifolia, as well as the species Cordia subcordata and Cordia sebestena. An image of this moth appears on a 25-cent stamp issued by Kiribati in 1980.
