[10] Famous worldwide, it is featured in most coffee table books on Lepidoptera and is much sought after by collectors, though many older sources misspell the species name as "ripheus".

It is found throughout the year in most parts of the island, with peak populations between March and August, and smallest numbers between October and December.

Silk spun from the mouth helps the caterpillars hold on to smooth leaves and climb back to the plant when they fall.

[16][17] The Madagascan sunset moth was first described by the British entomologist Dru Drury in 1773 from a specimen obtained from a Captain May of Hammersmith.

[16] Pattern variations are common, and the moth is often partly asymmetrical;[22] one of the factors causing this is temperature shock during the pupal stage.

The colour originates from coherent scattering and interference of light by the microstructure of the ribbon-like scales covering the moth's wings.

[7][13] These structural characteristics make this species and its Neotropical relative Urania common subjects of research in optical science.

Because the cuticle layers are arranged in rows, with a cylindrical curve, the amount of the second type of reflection is dependent on the polarization of the incoming light.

[14] Cramer believed the specimen came from Chandernagore in Bengal, however, giving rise to the French name "page de Chadernagor".

Thousands of adult moths seasonally migrate between geographically isolated populations of their host plant Omphalea spp.

They can be found almost everywhere on the island, except in the south-west and the extreme subdesertic south of the Androy where their host plant is absent.

The Jamaican moth Urania sloanus, from the same subfamily (Uraniinae), most likely became extinct after the loss of one of its host plant species.

Chrysiridia larvae defoliate the whole plant, and even eat the flowers and fruit, and thus have a considerable negative impact on the reproduction and survival of seedlings.

[17] The plants probably react by changing their nutrient and secondary compound levels, becoming toxic to the larvae and causing high mortality.

Through semiochemicals, the plant may recruit hymenopteran parasitoids as a protection, hence playing a role in the population dynamics of the moth.

Omphalea species contain polyhydroxy alkaloids potentially sequestered or excreted by the caterpillar, the pupa and the adult moth.

Another habit the moth has in common with many butterflies is the night resting posture—the wings are held vertically over the back.

The highest populations are found from March to August (fall and winter), while the lowest are from October to December (spring).

[16] The females lay their eggs late in the afternoon or at nightfall, and locate potential oviposition sites visually.

[16][17] The caterpillars spin silk from their mouth with an '∞' motion of the head as they walk, this keeps them from falling from the smooth surface of the leaves.

[16] Adult moths prefer white or whitish-yellow flowers as a nectar source, which indicates that visual cues play a large role in their selection.

[17] This spectacular moth is considered one of the most impressive and beautiful Lepidoptera,[10] rivalling almost any of the butterflies in brilliance of colouring and form.

[12] It is collected in the wild, and raised commercially for the international butterfly trade; its wings were used to make jewellery in the Victorian era.

[26] The Madagascan sunset moth appeared on a 6 maloti postage stamp in the Lesotho Postal Services Butterflies of Africa issue of 20 August 2007.