Anthela euryphrica

Anthela euryphrica Turner, 1936
ANTHELINAE, ANTHELIDAE, BOMBYCOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Ken Fairey & Stella Crossley

Anthela euryphrica
male
(Photo: copyright Dave Britton)

The Caterpillars of this speciesare brown and hairy with blue or red spots. The caterpillars feed on various species of grass (POACEAE), including

Australian Brome ( Bromus arenarius ).

and unfortunately :

Wheat ( Triticum aestivum ).

The caterpillars pupate in a cocoon under the soil at a depth of about 3 cms.

female
(Photo: copyright Dave Britton)

The adult moths are dark brown, with two white spots and a number of broad white subterminal bands on each forewing. The male moths have a wingspan of about 4 cms. The female moths have a wingspan of about 5 cms.

underside, male
(Photo: copyright Dave Britton)

male
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The adults of Anthela euryphrica are superficially similar to those of Anthela basigera, Anthela denticulata, Anthela oressarcha, and but the four species occur in four different areas of the country:

Anthela euryphrica occurs mainly in inland New South Wales, but also occurs in South Australia, and Western Australia.

Meanwhile:

Anthela basigera occurs mainly in South Australia.

Anthela denticulata occurs mainly in southern Victoria.

Anthela oressarcha occurs mainly in the mountain areas of southern New South Wales.

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 39.17, p. 396.

A. Jefferis Turner,
New Australian Lepidoptera,
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland,
Volume 47 (1936), pp. 46-47.

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(updated 24 April 2013, 3 July 2023)