Ercheia dubia (Butler, 1874)
(previously known as : Catephia dubia)
EREBINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
Don Herbison-Evans
( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Ercheia dubia
(Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mt. Molloy, Queensland)

This Caterpillar is off-green, and looks rough, with a darker zigzag line along each side of the back.

Ercheia dubia
close-up of head
(Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mt. Molloy, Queensland)

The caterpillar has been found feeding on the leaves of

  • Black Bean (Castanospermum australe, FABACEAE).

    The caterpillar grows to a length of about 5.5 cms.

    Ercheia dubia
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mt. Molloy, Queensland)

    The pupa is a rusty brown, with a length of about 2.5 cms. It is formed in the leaf litter.

    Ercheia dubia
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mt. Molloy, Queensland)

    The adult moth of this species is grey or brown, with two large dark patches on each forewing: one at the base and one at the wingtip.

    Ercheia dubia
    (Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

    The hindwings are darker, and each has a large central white spot. The wingspan is about 4 cms.

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

    The species has been found in :

  • Japan,
  • New Guinea,

    as well as in Australia in

  • Northern Territory, and
  • Queensland.

    Ercheia dubia
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Dick Whitford, Mt. Molloy, Queensland)


    Further reading :

    Arthur G. Butler,
    Revision of the homopterous genera Cosmoscarta and Phymatostetha, with descriptions of new species,
    Cistula Entomologica,
    Volume 1 (1874), pp. 292-293.

    Buck Richardson,
    Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art,
    LeapFrogOz, Kuranda, 2015, p. 134.


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    (updated 13 April 2013, 30 March 2021)