Psilopepla mollis (T.P. Lucas, 1894)
 (previously known as Nudaria mollis)
LITHOSIINI,   ARCTIINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Psilopepla mollis
(Photo: courtesy of Nick Lambert, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales)

The adult moths of this species basically have white forewings, each with several pale brown zigzag lines and darker spots. The hindwings are plain white. The scales on the wings rub off very easily, leaving a translucent appearance. The wingspan is about 1.5 cms.

Psilopepla mollis
(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The species has been found in :

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Psilopepla mollis
    male, drawing: George F. Hampson, listed as Nodaria mollis    ,
    Catalogue of the Arctiadæ (Nolinæ, Lithosianæ) in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalænæ in the British Museum,
    Volume II (1900), Plate XXXIV, Figure 24,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

    Further reading:

    George F. Hampson,
    Catalogue of the Arctiadae (Nolinae, Lithosianae) in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum,
    Volume 2 (1900), pp. 536-537, and also Plate 34, Figure 24.

    Thomas P. Lucas,
    On Queensland and other Australian Macro-Lepidoptera, with Localities and Descriptions of new Species,
    Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
    Series 2, Volume 8, Part 2 (1894), p. 136.

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    (written 8 February 2015, updated 31 August 2019, 2 April 2022)