Footmen, Lichen Moths.
ARCTIIDAE , NOCTUOIDEA
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The Caterpillars of the subfamily LITHOSIINAE typically have hairs in various patterns over the body. The hairs can cause Urticaria in sensitive people. The Caterpillars typically feed on Lichens and Algae. Characteristically, if disturbed, they roll into a tight spiral with the head in the centre.
They pupate in a cocoon made of silk with their hairs matted together.
The adults are small to medium in size, and many are black and yellow. Some often fold their wings closely along their bodies giving them a stiff appearance: hence their name "Footmen".
Some common species of the 215 named Australian members of this subfamily are:
Anestia ombrophanes : Clouded Footman
Anestia semiochrea
Asura bipars
Asura cervicalis
Asura lydia
Asura monospila
Asura polyspila
Asura semivitrea
Castulo doubledayi
Castulo plagiata
Damias procrena
Eilema plana : Little White Lichen Moth
Eutane terminalis : Banded Lichen Moth
Eutane trimochla
Gymnasura flavia
Gymnasura saginaea
Halone consolatrix
Halone coryphoea
Halone interspersa
Halone ophiodes
Halone prosenes
Halone pteridaula
Halone sejuncta
Halone sinuata : Rock Lichen Moth
Hectobrocha pentacyma
Heliosia jucunda
Heliosia micra
Heliosia perichares
Hesychopa simillima
Heterallactis euchrysa
Heterallactis microchrysa
Heterallactis niphocephala
Heterallactis phlogozona
Heterallactis stenochrysa
Lyclene pyraula
Lyclene quadrilineata
Lyclene reticulata
Lyclene structa : Banded Lichen Moth
Macaduma strongyla
Macaduma toxophora
Manulea dorsalis
Manulea replana : Lichen-eating Caterpillar
Palaeosia bicosta : Two-Ribbed Arctiid
Philenora elegans
Philenora malthaca
Scaptesyle dichotoma : Reticulated Footman
Scaptesyle equidistans
Schistophleps albida
Schistophleps obducta
Scoliacma bicolora : Red Footman
Scoliacma nana
Termessa discrepans
Termessa gratiosa
Termessa nivosa
Termessa shepherdi : Shepherd's Footman
Termessa zonophanes
Thallarcha epicela
Thallarcha epileuca
Thallarcha epiostola
Thallarcha eremicola
Thallarcha fusa
Thallarcha levis
Thallarcha macilenta
Thallarcha partita
Thallarcha pellax
Thallarcha phalarota
Thallarcha sparsana
Thallarcha trissomochla
Threnosia agraphes
Threnosia heminephes
Tigrioides alterna
Tigrioides nitens
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(updated 19 April 2013)
Calamidia hirta
Chamaita barnardi
Cyana meyricki
Cyana obscura
Diduga flavicostata
Eugoa basipuncta
Goniosema euraphota
Hectobrocha adoxa
Hesychopa chionora
Heterotropa fastosa
Lambula pleuroptycha
Lambula pristina
Melastrota nigrisquamata
Oenistis altica
Parelictis saleuta
Phaeophlebosia furcifera
Phenacomorpha bisecta
Philenora aspectalella
Scaphidriotis camptopleura
Symmetrodes sciocosma
Termessa catocalina
Teulisna bipunctata
Thallarcha albicollis
Thallarcha chrysochares