🔍 Read All About It: The Katseye Insect

The Katseye is a fascinating insect found in warm, humid regions of Central and South America. It belongs to the order Lepidoptera and is closely related to moths and butterflies. The Katseye gets its name from the striking eye-like patterns on its wings, which are large, round, and colourful — resembling the eyes of a cat. These markings come in shades of orange, brown, and black, and can span up to 8 centimetres across.

The Katseye prefers to live in tropical rainforests, where it shelters among broad leaves and tree bark. It is most active at dusk and dawn, making it a crepuscular insect. During the day, it rests with its wings folded, blending into the bark of trees to avoid predators.

When threatened, the Katseye suddenly opens its wings wide to reveal its eye-like spots. This behaviour startles predators such as birds and lizards, giving the insect time to escape. This defence strategy is called eyespot mimicry. The Katseye feeds on the nectar of tropical flowers and plays an important role in pollination. Females lay their eggs on specific host plants, and the caterpillars feed on the leaves until they form a chrysalis and transform into adults.

📚 Part 1: Comprehension Questions

✏️ Part 2: Written Response

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