Gnamptoloma aventiaria (Guenee, 1857)
(one synonym is: Timandra molybdias Meyrick, 1889)
 STERRHINAE, GEOMETRIDAE

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

(updated 7 June 2007)


(Photo: courtesy of Nick Monaghan, Tewantin, Queensland)

These Caterpillars have been found feeding on the flowers and young foliage of various plants, including :

  • Pithecellobium species ( MIMOSACEAE ),
  • Black Wattle ( Acacia leiocalyx, MIMOSACEAE ),
  • Bark Wattle ( Acacia decurrens, MIMOSACEAE ),
  • Curracabah ( Acacia concurrens, MIMOSACEAE ),
  • Hickory Wattle ( Acacia aulacocarpa, MIMOSACEAE ), and
  • Roses ( Rosa species, ROSACEAE )

    The Caterpillars may be any colour from green to brown with darker patches along the sides. They have flaps along the back that resemble leaflets of their foodplant. They move in looper fashion as they are missing the first three pairs of prolegs.

    The adult moths of this species vary in colour from greenish to reddish. There is a dark diagonal line across each wing. They have forewings with a recurve in the margin at the apex with a brown edging. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

    The species is found across south-east Asia, from India to the Pacific, including :

  • Borneo,
  • Hong Kong, and
  • the northern half of Australia.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 375.

    J. Moss,
    The Moth Gnamptoloma aventiaria (Geometridae),
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club Newsletter, Number 22, September 2001, pp. 12-13.

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