The Caterpillars are grey and black, with orange spots on its sides, and yellow speckles on its back and underside. Also two pale yellow lines run along the back. The Caterpillars have long fine hairs which project to the front, to the rear, and sideways. They grow to a length of about 2 cms.

(Photo from: "Flying Colours", Coupar & Coupar, 1992)

They form a pupa inside a sparse cocoon made of silk and larval hairs, attached to a tree or wall.

male
(Photo from: "Flying Colours", Coupar & Coupar, 1992)

The adult male has black and white forewings, and plain pale yellow hindwings. The male moths have a wingspan of about 2 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Victoria)

The adult female has a length of about 1 cm. She is wingless, and has a large grey body. The female stays near her cocoon, and the male copulates with her there. The eggs are laid on the cocoon.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Victoria)

The species may be found over much of the southern half of Australia, including:

Further reading :

Pat and Mike Coupar,
Flying Colours, New South Wales University Press, Sydney 1992, p. 36.

Peter Marriott,
Moths of Victoria, Part 2, Entomological Society of Victoria, 2009, pp. 20-23.

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(updated 25 June 2011)