LYMANTRIIDAE of Australia
Tussock Moths.
 NOCTUOIDEA

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

(updated 16 July 2008)

The Tussock Moths are so-named because the Caterpillars of many members have four long dense dorsal tufts of hair. Many also have other hair pencils, and also two coloured dorsal glands on abdominal segments six and seven.

Many of the Caterpillars are a pest for two reasons:

  • they attack cultivated plants, not just in Australia, but more seriously overseas, and
  • also, the hairs of many species cause skin irritation in some people (Urticaria).

    The Caterpillars usually pupate within a cocoon incorporating larval hairs. These hairs can cause more problems if the cocoons are handled, or if they disintegrate and the hairs are released to blow about.

    The adults are short lived because they have a reduced haustellum and do not feed. In some species the females are wingless. Many of the Caterpillars are very colourful:

    undetermined Lymantriid A

    undetermined Lymantriid B

    undetermined Lymantriid C

    undetermined Lymantriid D

    undetermined Lymantriid E

    It has been recommended that the scientific names of many species in LYMANTRIIDAE be changed after detailed morphological studies, particularly by Jeremy Holloway and published in his more recent book "Moths of Borneo" (1999). However, here we are still using the older names from the "Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Australia" (1996)

    The 73 named Australian members of LYMANTRIIDAE in that publication are:

  • Acyphas amphideta
    Acyphas chionitis
  • Acyphas fulviceps
    Acyphas leptotypa
  • Acyphas pelodes
    Acyphas semiochrea

    Calliteara farenoides
    Calliteara pura

    Dasychira species

    Dasychiroides pratti

    Dura marginepunctata
    Dura niveus
    Dura ochrias

  • Euproctis acatharta
    Euproctis actor
  • Euproctis aganopa
    Euproctis crocea
    Euproctis edwardsii
    Euproctis emprepes
    Euproctis epaxia
  • Euproctis epidela
  • Euproctis euthysana
    Euproctis fimbriata
    Euproctis galactopis
    Euproctis holoxutha
    Euproctis hymnolis
  • Euproctis idonea
  • Euproctis leonina
  • Euproctis limbalis
    Euproctis lucifuga
    Euproctis lutea
  • Euproctis melanorrhanta
    Euproctis melanosoma
  • Euproctis ochroneura
  • Euproctis panabra
  • Euproctis paradoxa
  • Euproctis pyraustis
  • Euproctis stenomorpha
    Euproctis subnobilis
    Euproctis trispila
  • Euproctis urbis
  • Euproctis xuthoptera
  • Euproctis xuthosterna
    Euproctis species

  • Euzora collucens

    Habrophylla euryzona

  • Habrophylla pycnadelpha
  • Habrophylla retinopepla

  • Icta fulviceps
  • Icta tanaopis

    Iropoca rotundata

  • Laelia furva
    Laelia obsoleta

  • Leptocneria binotata
    Leptocneria reducta : White Cedar Moth

    Lymantria antennata
    Lymantria lunata
    Lymantria nephrographa
    Lymantria pelospila
    Lymantria submarginata

    Nygmia arrogans
    Nygmia habrostola

  • Olene cookiensis
  • Olene dryina
    Olene mendosa

    Oligeria hemicalla

    Orgyia australis

    Orvasca aliena
    Orvasca paradoxa
    Orvasca semifusca

  • Psalis pennatula

    Teia anartoides : Painted Apple Moth
    Teia athlophora

    Urocoma baliolalis : Browntail Gum Moth
    Urocoma limbalis
    Urocoma marginalis

  • Urocoma niphobola

    Link to
    Frequently Asked Questions about Caterpillars

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