Casbia farinalis (Rosenstock, 1885)
 (one synonym : Xenosina detrita Warren, 1900)
Bleached Casbia
CABERINI,   ENNOMINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Cathy Byrne & Stella Crossley


early instar, magnified
(Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

The Caterpillars of this species are initially white with dark brown dots and a pale brown head. Later the body becomes pale green with coloured markings, anf the head becomes green.


close-up of head, later instar
(Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

The caterpillars are missing three pairs of prolegs, so walk in a looper fashion.


later instar
(Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

The caterpillars have been found found feeding on

  • Hazel pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera, RHAMNACEAE).


    (Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

    The pupa is formed in a cocoon amongst the foliage of adjacent trees.


    pupa in cocoon
    (Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

    The female adult moth is brown with each wing having an indistinct dark transverse band. The forewings have hooked wingtips. At rest the wings are held flat. The wingspan is about 2.5 cms.


    female
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

    The males have a variable dark pattern near the middle of the margin, and a dark dot in the cell of every wing.


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

    The eggs are egg-shaped, smooth, and buff coloured. They are laid singly.


    eggs, magnfied
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Byrne)

    The species may be found in

  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory,
  • Victoria, and
  • Tasmania.


    underside, male
    (Photo: courtesy of John Bromilow, Ainslie, Australian Capital Territory)

    Further reading :

    Marilyn Hewish,
    Moths of Victoria: Part 7,
    Bark Moths and Allies - GEOMETROIDEA (D)    ,
    Entomological Society of Victoria, 2016, pp. 14-15.

    Rudolph Rosenstock,
    Notes on Australian Lepidoptera, with descriptions of new species,
    Annals and Magazine of Natural History,
    Volume 5, Part 16 (1885), p. 430, No. 402.

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    (updated 14 December 2009, 11 May 2023)