Achaea argilla

Achaea argilla (Swinhoe, 1901)
Plain Looper
CALPINAE, EREBIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

These Caterpillars are initially blue-grey with black spiracles, and a grey and white head. There are raised black and white markings on the second and last abdominal segments.

Later the caterpillars become reddish brown with a black and white head, with a pair of red knobs on the tail, and a black mark on the back of the second abdominal segment. The spiracles on each side of the abdominal segments are orange with a black mark above each one. The first pair of prolegs of the caterpillars is degenerate, and so the caterpillars move in a looper fashion.

We have found specimens on :

Willgar ( Breynia oblongifolia, PHYLLANTHACEAE ), and

Spurge ( Euphorbia sp., EUPHORBICEAE ).

The caterpillars grow to a length of about 5 cms.

One pupated at the top of the jar in which it was kept, in a sparse cocoon that broke as soon as the jar lid was twisted for removal and inspection, dropping the pupa to the bottom! The pupae are initially dark brown but soon become white.

The adult moth has forewings that have a subtle brown pattern, and hindwings that are black with three white spots along the margin, and an unbroken white band across the middle. Underneath: the forewings have a white band between two black ones, and the hindwings have a blackspot near the tornus. The moth has a wingspan of about 5 cms.