Batrachedra arenosella (Walker, 1864)
 Coconut Moth
(previously known as Gracillaria arenosella)
BATRACHEDRIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


(Photo: courtesy of François Rousseu, Sainte-Marie, Réunion)

The Caterpillars of this species live in a web sometimes hidden under bark. They have been reported as feeding on a variety of items, including :

  • Coconuts ( Cocos nucifera, ARECACEAE ),
  • Kappamaram ( Schefflera stellata, ARALIACEAE ),
  • seeds of Rushes ( Juncus species, JUNCACEAE ), and
  • scale insects ( COCCOIDEA ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research)

    The adult moths of this species have forewings that are speckled brown, ech with a double black dot near the middle. The forewings have fringes along the hind margin that are longer than the width of the rest of the wing. The hindwings are narrower than the forewings, and have fringes along the costa and even longer ones along the hind margin. The antennae are about as long as the forewings. The wingspan is about 1 cm.

    The species has been found in :

  • New Zealand, and
  • Réunion,

    and in Australia in

  • the Northern Territory,
  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales, and
  • South Australia.

    Further reading :

    W.A. Baringbing,
    Studies on Chelonus sp. a parasite of the coconut moth Batrachedra arenosella,
    Tropical Pest Management,
    Volume 30, Number 2 (1984), p. 207.

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 233.

    Francis Walker,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 30 (1854), p. 857, No. 42.

    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 24 July 2012, 11 March 2024)