Eudocima jordani

Eudocima jordani (Holland, 1900)
(previously known as : Ophideres jordani)
Jordan's Fruit Piercing Moth
CATOCALINAE , NOCTUIDAE

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

male
(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda)

The caterpillars of this species feed on:

Snake Vine ( Tinospora smilacina, MENISPERMACEAE ).

male
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville)

The male moths of this species have subtly patterned dark brown forewings, and bright orange hindwings that have broad black margins and a large black spot in the middle. The wings have scalloped margins, and the forewings have a concave inner margin. The abdomen is orange. The wingspan is about 7 cms.

The females are similar except they have a broad yellow diagonal band across each forwing.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda)

The adult moths are a commercial pest: damaging fruit by piercing the skin to suck juice.

Control of the moths may be possible using:

green-yellow Orchard lighting systems,

netting trees and bagging fruits, and

the wasp Euplectrus melanocephalus ( EULOPHIDAE ).

The moth occurs in

New Guinea
and in Australia in

Queensland.