Casbia rectaria Walker, 1866
Pomaderris Moth
(one synonym : Casbia rosacea Holloway, 1979)
CABERINI,   ENNOMINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


early instar, magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Carol & Trevor Deane, Dorrigo, New South Wales)

The Caterpillars of this species are initially greenish with a pale brown head and claspers. The caterpillars have reduced prolegs, so walk in a looper fashion.


later instar
(Photo: courtesy of Carol & Trevor Deane, Dorrigo, New South Wales)

The caterpillars have been found feeding on various trees in RHAMNACEAE, including:

  • Red Ash ( Alphitonia excelsa ), and
  • Woolly Pomaderris ( Pomaderris lanigera ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Carol & Trevor Deane, Dorrigo, New South Wales)

    Later instars become brownish, with a pale line along each side of the back, and a scattering of dark dots.


    pupa


    empty pupa in cocoon

    (Photos: courtesy of Carol & Trevor Deane, Dorrigo, New South Wales)

    The pupa is brown with greenish areas over the developing wings, formed in a sparse white cocoon in ground debris.


    female
    (Photo: courtesy of Donald Hobern, Lamington National Park, Queensland)

    The adult moths are mottled brown all over, each wing having two faint dark transverse lines, and a variable pair of spots near the middle of the margin. The males have a small transparent spot on each forewing. The wingspan is about 2 cms.


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

    The species has beeen found in :

  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.


    underside, male
    (Photo: courtesy of Carol & Trevor Deane, Dorrigo, New South Wales)


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 35.4, p. 366.

    Peter Hendry,
    A Night at Ray's,
    Metamorphosis Australia,
    Issue 57 (June 2010), pp. 30-32,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club.

    Francis Walker,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 35, Supplement 5 (1866), p. 1667.


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    (updated 24 April 2010, 26 June 2019, 20 May 2020, 17 July 2021)