EPIPYROPIDAE of Australia
Planthopper Parasite Moths
ZYGAENOIDEA

  
EPIPYROPIDAE

caterpillar photo
  
EPIPYROPIDAE

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

The Caterpillars of this family are white and globular. They parasitise Hoppers (HEMIPTERA), such as Lantern Flies (FULGORIDAE) and Antipodean Hoppers (EURYBRACHIDAE). The tiny caterpillar, as soon as it hatches, has to find and latch onto a suitable host, on which it then feeds.

The adult moths are tiny, with a wingspan of about 7 mm.

The eggs are typically laid on dead grass. The female moths can lay viable eggs despite not being mated with a male.

The 5 named Australian species of EPIPYROPIDAE are included in:

  • Agamopsyche threnodes

    EPIPYROPIDAE species

    Heteropsyche micromorpha
    Heteropsyche poecilochroma

  • Heteropsyche stenomorpha

  • Palaeopsyche melanias

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    (updated 31 May 2014, 8 April 2017, 11 April 2019)