Search & Identify Small Caterpillars with sparse hairs in Australia

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

Spodoptera litura stripy grey-brown, four yellow spots on the thorax, omnivorous

Callopistria maillardi green, dark forward-pointing arrow on the back of each segment, feeds on Ferns

Aedia arctipennis orange and speckled grey stripes, pale spot on penultimate abdominal segment, feeds on CONVOLVULACEAE

Spodoptera picta orange and speckled grey stripes, dark mark on first and penultimate abdominal segments, feeds on AMARYLLIDACEAE

Iscadia inexacta off-white, black spots, yellow head, tail, and yellow organ behind thorax

Apina callisto dark grey, pale stripes, 3 short red stripes behind the head

Mnesampela privata 2 pale spots on 2nd abdominal segment

Craniophora fasciata green, 2 pale arcs on its bum

some CHLOEPHORINAE swollen head and thorax	leaf miners	ringed by bands of various colours	knobbly
caterpillars with a pointed head	caterpillars with a slightly forked head	SATYRINAE forked head, and a forked tail	some NOTODONTINAE forked tail
LIMACODIDAE evertable stinging hairs	PAPILIONIDAE evertable fleshy dorsal smelly organs, behind the head	some NOTODONTINAE evertable fleshy ventral organ under the head	fleshy pair of horns behind the head
some GEOMETRIDAE only 2 pairs of prolegs	PLUSIINAE only 3 pairs of prolegs	some EREBINAE also only 3 pairs of prolegs	some CALPINAE only 4 pairs of usable prolegs
LACTURIDAE no legs	LIMACODIDAE also no legs	LYCAENIDAE also no legs, attended by ants	COSSIDAE red, black head

Pieridae species pale lateral stripe above full set of legs

Proteuxoa species brown, diagonal stripes making back-pointing arrows

Neumichtis species brown or green 2 pale spots on bum

back to identifying Australian caterpillars

Australian butterflies

Australian Lepidoptera

Australian caterpillars

Caterpillar FAQS

(written 16 July 2020, updated 7 August 2023)