Eulechria encratodes Meyrick, 1922
EULECHRIA GROUP
OECOPHORINAE,   OECOPHORIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Eulechria encratodes
(Photo: courtesy of Donald Hobern, Aranda, Australian Capital Territory)

The Caterpillar of this species is thought 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 encratodes
(Photo: courtesy of BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

This adult moth has off-white forewings, each with some black spots and a black line. The hindwings are a plain opalescent pale grey. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

The species has been found in eastern Australia, including:

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory, and
  • Victoria.


    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. 364.

    Edward Meyrick,
    Oecophoridę,
    Exotic Microlepidoptera,
    Volume 2, Part 16, (1922), p. 510.


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    (updated 1 November 2012, 22 October 2018, 4 October 2020)