Eulechria chersomicta (Meyrick, 1920)
(formerly known as Leptocroca chersomicta)
EULECHRIA GROUP
OECOPHORINAE,   OECOPHORIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Eulechria chersomicta
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The Caterpillar of this species is expected to feed on dead leaves, as do others in this genus Eulechria, although different species in this genus seem each to prefer different host plants. The caterpillar probably lives in a tubular silk lined gallery, incorporating debris and frass, in amongst the dead leaves.

The caterpillar probably pupates in a larger and looser chamber at one end of the gallery.

Eulechria chersomicta
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The adult moth has off-white forewings which have sparse brown spots and speckles. The hindwings are pale grey, darkening toward the wingtips. The wingspan is about 1.3 cms.

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

The species has been found in eastern Australia in:

  • Queensland.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Oecophorine Genera of Australia II: The Chezala, Philobota and Eulechria groups (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae),
    Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Volume 5,
    CSIRO Publishing, 1997, p. 363.

    Edward Meyrick,
    Exotic Microlepidoptera,
    Volume 2 (1920), p. 308.


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    (updated 1 November 2012, 1 September 2018, 25 Octobe 2020)