Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 18 April 2008)
early instar
(Photo: courtesy of the
Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)
The early instar of this Caterpillar is green and smooth, with a faint white lateral line each side, and with pale yellow shading between the segments.
The mature larva is brown dorsally with a dark brown herring-bone pattern. Ventrally it is pale brown. The Caterpillar has been found feeding on :
but was reared successfully on:
It grows to a length of about 2 cms. The life cycle is short, with the Caterpillar stage only taking about 25 days in summer in Melbourne.
The pupal stage lasts about 12 days in summer in Melbourne.
The adult has forewings that are brown, traversed by blue-grey wavy bands near the margin, and tan coloured wavy lines in the basal area. Similar tan coloured bands occur on the body. The hind wings are fawn. In its resting posture, the moth holds the wings flat, with the hindwings covered by the forewings.
The underside is like the top only the colouring is less marked. The moths have a wingspan of about 3 cms.
The eggs are pale green.
The Caterpillars have been found in Melbourne and Sydney.
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