Batrachedra eustola Meyrick, 1897
 BATRACHEDRIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Batrachedra eustola
caterpillar in its leaf-mine
(Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Talegalla Weir, Queensland)

The caterpillars of this species are brown, and pointed at both ends. The caterpillars mine the leaves of the foodplant, and grow to a length of about 1 cm.

Batrachedra eustola
leaf showing mine along the midrib
(Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Talegalla Weir, Queensland)

They have been found feeding on

  • Spiny-head Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia, ASPARAGACEAE).

    Batrachedra eustola
    (Photo: courtesy of Scott Gavins, Talegalla Weir, Queensland)

    The adult moths have pale brown forewings each with some pale and dark lines, and with two prominent black spots: one near the middle and the other near the tornus. The hindwings are pale grey. The wingspan is about 1.5 cms.

    Batrachedra eustola
    (Photo: courtesy of Reiner Richter, Karangi, New South Wales)

    The head is covered in white hair. The antennae are longer than the forewings.

    Batrachedra eustola
    possibly Batrachedra eustola
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    The species has been found in Australia in

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Batrachedra eustola
    possibly Batrachedra eustola underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    Further reading :

    Edward Meyrick,
    Descriptions of Australian Microlepidoptera. XVII. Elachistidae,
    Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
    Volume 22 (1897), pp. 308-309, No. 21.

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    (written 24 January 2022, updated 2 January 2025)