Conocrambus medioradiellus (Hampson, 1919)
 (one synonym : Anaresca xuthochroa Turner, 1947)
CRAMBINAE,   CRAMBIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
&
Stella Crossley

Conocrambus medioradiellus
(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The Caterpillars of this species live in burrows several centimetres long in sand, lined with silk, under

  • She-oak trees ( CASUARINACEAE ).

    The caterpillars emerge to grab and cut off a piece of She-oak stem, and then take back down their burrow.

    The caterpillars pupate under the sand in oval cocoons coated in sand.

    Conocrambus medioradiellus
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The adult moths are brown, with one or two vague white stripes along each forewing. The hindwings are brown, fading to white at the bases. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

    The species has been found in :

  • Northern Territory, and
  • Queensland.

    Conocrambus medioradiellus
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    Further reading :

    George F. Hampson,
    Descriptions of new Pyralidae of the subfamilies Crambinae and Siginae,
    Annals and Magazine of Natural History,
    Series 9, Volume 3 (1919), p. 282, No. 14d.

    Peter Hendry,
    Another moth (Lepidoptera) utilising sand,
    Metamorphosis Australia, Issue 66 (September 2012), p. 14,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club.

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    (written 2 February 2014, updated 2 June 2019, 22 May 2021)