Gonimbrasia belina is a species of emperor moth which is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. Its large edible caterpillar, known as the mopane worm, madora, amacimbi or masontja, feeds primarily but not exclusively on mopane tree leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of protein for many in the region. The species was first described by John O. Westwood in 1849. Vernacular names The mopane worm is so-called in English because it is usually found on the mopane tree, Colophospermum mopane. Other vernacular names for the caterpillars include: Botswana Kalanga: mashonja South Africa (colloq) or Zambia muyaya (believed to be the mopane worm) finkubala ifishimu (proper name in the Bemba language) Zimbabwe , or mashonja Kalanga: mahonja Namibia Ovambo: omagungu Oshikwanyama: oshuungu Democratic Republic of the Congo The Latin name is sometimes given as Imbrasia belina, rather than Gonimbrasia belina. Identification The moths are large with a wingspan of 120 mm. Wings are fawn coloured through shades of green and brown to red, with two black and white bands isolating the eyespots. An orange eyespot is present on each hindwing. Males moths have feathery antennae, which are used to find a mate. Larvae are black, peppered with round scales in indistinct alternating whitish green and yellow bands, and armed with short black or reddish spines covered in fine white hairs. Biology Larvae eat a wide range of plants including mopane, Carissa grandiflora, Diospyros, Ficus, Rhus, Sclerocarya caffra, Terminalia and Trema. Mopane worm outbreaks defoliate shrubs, depriving game of browse. Habitat Widespread. Very common in semi-desert, bushveld and grassland. Life cycle Like most caterpillars, the mopane worm's life cycle starts when it hatches in the summer, after which it proceeds to eat the foliage in its immediate vicinity. As the larva grows, it moults four times in its five larval stages, after which the mopane worm is considered most desirable for harvesting. Provided that the larva has not been harvested after its fourth moult, it burrows underground to pupate, the stage at which it undergoes complete transformation to become the adult moth. This stage happens over winter, for a duration of 6 to 7 months, whereafter it emerges at the beginning of summer (November or December). The adult moths live only for three to four days, during which time they mate and lay their eggs. Predators Like many animals lower down on the food chain, the mopane worms