Common phosphorus moth

The ***common phosphorus moth***, also known by twenty-four other names, is a relatively small but colorful moth found in forests. As its name suggests, this moth is known for its ability to emit a soft glow from its yellowish-green wings. They are found on the eastern coastline of Great Ermentruce and most of the Olden World south of Fagorvorn, north of Orabella, and east of Cantango (so eastern Great Ermentruce and western Olden World, respectively). They have since been introduced to The Royal North of Chuliana and have naturally spread in very small populations to southeastern Cheskachena.

## Behavior

During the night, when darkness falls under the canopy of trees, the phosphorescent glow from these moths can occasionally be seen flitting among the leaves and branches. Some believe their subtle light acts as a form of communication between the moths, while others think it deters predation by helping the moths hide in plain sight among the glow of foliage and fungi.

During the day, the moths can be found resting on tree trunks or foliage where their greenish coloration helps them camouflage effectively. At night, around the globe phase of the moon, the males will begin emitting a stronger glow to attract mates for breeding. Shortly after mating, the female will lay her peach-colored eggs singly on the underside of leaves.

After hatching, the larvae, or caterpillars, will feed on the leaves of trees until ready to pupate. They then spin small cocoons out of silk on branches or trunks. In about 2-3 weeks, the next generation of common phosphorus moths will emerge and repeat their life cycle, glowing softly in the forest night.

## Source of Glow

The source of their glow comes from a chemical reaction within their wings that converts sunlight absorbed during the day into a cold light at night. This allows the common phosphorus moth to standing out amid the shadows of the forest without expending much energy.

## Physical Characteristics

These moths have a wingspan of about 2-3 inches when fully grown. As with many moths, the females are generally larger than males. Their wings are oval in shape and covered in tiny yellowish-green scales.

## Alias

Phosphorus moths go by regional names, they being tree glowers, leaf shimmers, shadow dancers, forest faeries, moonbeam wings, twilight flitters, ghost lights, glim gliders, star dusters, night shakers, glimmerbugs, and shine moths. Some of these names describe their glowing ability ("tree glowers", "glim gliders"), while others reference where they're often found ("forest faeries", "shadow dancers") or their nocturnal activities ("moonbeam wings", "night shakers"). A few play on their delicate, fairy-like appearance ("forest faeries", "ghost lights"). Overall, the names aim to capture different traits and behaviors of the common phosphorus moth from the perspective of cultures within the world. Scientific/biological names range and there is no true one scientific name for them, some include *Phosphora arborea* (the glowing tree moth), *Lamprodes lucifera* (Bright light-bearing moth), *Hespia luminosa* (shining evening moth), *Noctiluca notata* (Night shining marked moth), *Tineola luminis* (Small light moth), *Gloea scintillans* (Glowing sparkling moth), *Phryganea phosphorea* (Leaf glow moth), *Hemiceras biolucens* (Half-horned self-lighting moth, *Leucochroa radiata* (White colored radiant moth), *Hyalopasta fulgida* (Glassy brightly shining moth), *Chamaesphecia lucifuga* (Low light seeking moth), and *Nyctobia photogena* (Night wanderer light producer). Second to being commonly known as the phosphorus moth are half-horned self-lighting moth (especially in Great Ermentruce) and low light seeking moth (in the Old World).