These Caterpillars are initially off-white with reddish brown markings and sparse stiff translucent hairs.

later instar
(Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

Later they develop a complex pattern of white and light and dark brown, and the hairs become black. The caterpillars feed on a variety of low-growing dicotyledonous herbs, and grow to a length of about 1 cm.

female
(Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

The adult moths are pale brown with orange veins. The moths have a wingspan of about 4 cms.

eggs, magnified
(Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

The eggs are laid loosely attached to the substrate, and are smooth and oval. Their diameter is about 0.75 mm. Initially they are pale yellowish green,later becoming pale brown with maroon blotches as hatching approaches.

The species is found in Tasmania in the highlands at an altitude range of 600-1230 metres.

Further reading :

Peter B. McQuillan,
The Tasmanian Geometrid Moths Associated with the Genus Amelora auctorum (Lepidoptera : Geometridae : Ennomina) ,
Invertebrate Taxonomy, Volume 10, Issue 3, 1996, pp. 433-506.

Peter B. McQuillan,
An overview of the Tasmanian geometrid moth fauna (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) and its conservation status,
Journal of Insect Conservation, Volume 8, Issues 2 & 3, June 2004, pp. 209-220.

Catherine J. Young,
Characterisation of the Australian Nacophorini and a Phylogeny for the Geometridae from Molecular and Morphological Data, Ph.D. thesis, University of Tasmania, 2003.

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