Brithys crini (Fabricius, 1775)
(one synonym : Noctua pancratii Cyrillo, 1787)
Lily Borer
HADENINAE, NOCTUIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 31 August 2008)


(Photo: courtesy of Glenda Rode-Bramanis, Bli Bli, Queensland)

This caterpillar is black with white spots, except for the head and tail which are brown with black markings. The caterpillar has sparse black hairs.


(Photo: courtesy of Glenda Rode-Bramanis, Bli Bli, Queensland)

It feeds on various plants from the family AMARYLLIDACEAE, including :

  • Robust Lily ( Crinum angustifolium ),
  • Blue Amaryllis ( Hippeastrum procerum ),
  • Sea Daffodil ( Pancratium maritimum ),
  • Fairy Lily ( Zephyranthes candida ),

    as well as :

  • Crocus ( Crocus tommasinianus, IRIDACEAE ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott,
    taken in Peter Mackey's garden at Mt Eerwah, Queensland)

    The caterpillar often bores into the stems, or eats the flesh inside the leaves staying inside the intact translucent epidermis. On average, a caterpillar has been reported to eat 240 square centimetres of leaf in its lifetime. The caterpillar grows to a length of about 5 cms.


    (Photo: courtesy of Roaminoz Crew, Burpengary, Queensland)

    The adult moth has brown forewings. The hind wings are pale, darkening toward the margins. The wingspan is about 4 cms.


    (Photo: courtesy of Paolo Mazzei, Diego Reggianti, Ilaria Pimpinelli, Rome, Italy)

    The pheromones have been elucidated.

    The eggs are pale yellow, and laid in regular arrays of about 50 on the leaf of a foodplant.

    The species occurs in :

  • Europe,
  • Japan,
  • South Africa, and
  • the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 465.


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