Eulechria convictella (Walker, 1864) (previously known as Depressaria convictella) EULECHRIA GROUP OECOPHORINAE,   OECOPHORIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA

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

(Photo: courtesy of Reiner Richter, Emerald, Victoria)

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.

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

The adult moth has fawn forewings, each with a pattern of dark spots including a submarginal arc of dark dots, and a variable dark area at the base. The hindwings are plain pale brown. The wingspan is about 1.5 cm.

The species has been found in eastern Australia, including:

Victoria.

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Further reading :

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

Francis Walker,
Tineites,
List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
Volume 29, 1864, p. 566, No. 93.

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(written 16 August 2024, updated 1 September 2024)