Australian CTENUCHINAE

CTENUCHINAE in Australia
Wasp Moths, Handmaidens
ARCTIIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA

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

CTENUCHINAE

caterpillars

CTENUCHINAE

pupae

CTENUCHINAE

moths

CTENUCHINAE

undersides

The Caterpillars of the CTENUCHINAE are mostly covered uniformly in dark hairs. The hairs can cause Urticaria in sensitive people. The Caterpillars typically feed and move about during the daytime.

They pupate in a cocoon made of silk with their hairs matted together.

The adults are small to medium in size, with hindwings that are half the span of the forewings. The wings are black with translucent orange spots. The adult moths of many species in this subfamily fly during daylight hours. The female moths have a fatter abdomen, but a smaller wingspan than the males. In this subfamily: typically the antennae of the female moths are serrated, and the antennae of the males have pectinations.

Many species in this subfamily have tranverse bands alternating in orange and black on the abdomen. These moths appear to mimic many stinging wasp species, hence their name 'Wasp Moths', although the moths themselves cannot sting. However the coloration may denote a hazard as the moths are poisonous if eaten. Either way: the orange and black bands on the abdomen may give protetion from predators such as birds.

The 53 named Australian members of this subfamily are:

Amata annulata
Amata antitheta
Amata aperta : Pale Spotted Tiger Moth

Amata atricornuta
Amata bicolor
Amata chlorometis
Amata choneutospila
Amata chroma
Amata chromatica

Amata cyanura
Amata dyschlaena
Amata heptaspila

Amata hesperitis
Amata huebneri : Wasp Moth
Amata humeralis
Amata hyalota
Amata insularis
Amata lampetis
Amata leucacma

Amata lucta

Amata macroplaca
Amata magistri
Amata marella
Amata melitospila
Amata nigriceps
Amata ochrospila

Amata olinda
Amata orphnaea
Amata pactolina
Amata paradelpha
Amata paraula
Amata phaeochyta
Amata phepsalotis
Amata prosomoea
Amata pyrocoma
Amata recedens
Amata trigonophora
Amata xanthosoma : Yellow Tiger Moth
Amata xanthura : Southern Spotted Tiger Moth

Ceryx guttulosa
Ceryx sphenodes