Acyphas semiochrea

Acyphas semiochrea (Herrich-Schaffer, [1855])
(one synonym : Acyphas leucomelas)
LYMANTRIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Ian F.B. Common & Stella Crossley

(updated 16 May 2006)

This Caterpillar is brown and hairy, with four tussocks of hair on its back, and a pencil of hairs each side of its head. It also has a hairy tail. It is a pest in South Australia on:

Monterey Pine ( Pinus radiata, PINACEAE ).

and also known to feed on:

various Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),

Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),

Pultenaea ( FABACEAE ),

Dodonaea ( SAPINDACEAE ),

Choretrum ( SANTALACEAE ),

Myoporum ( MYOPORACEAE ), and

Tamarix ( TAMARICACEAE ).

Male
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The adult moth is basically white. The moths have a wingspan up to 3 cms. The adult female has black and white bands on the body and an orange tuft on the tail. The species occurs around most of the coast of Australia.