Hypodoxa bryophylla

Hypodoxa bryophylla (Goldfinch, 1929)
(previously known as : Pingasa bryophylla)
GEOMETRINAE , GEOMETRIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
and
Peter Marriott & Stella Crossley & David Nelson

This caterpillar is thin and green, with a red and white line along each side of the body. The head and tail are both pointed. It is solitary, and by day, it often stands stiff and straight at an angle, on a twig or leaf of their food plant. If disturbed, it drops on a thread. The caterpillar appears to have an organ which may be everted from under the head.

Nocturnally, the caterpillars feed on the foliage of

Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus and Angophera species, MYRTACEAE )

and Broad-Leaved Wattles ( MIMOSACEAE ) such as :

Sickle Wattle ( Acacia falcata ),

Black Wattle ( Acacia leiocalyx ), and

Golden Wattle ( Acacia pycnantha ),

The caterpillars grow to length of about 5 cms.

They each pupate in a loose cocoon inside joined curled leaves of the foodplant.

pupal leaf shelter

The adult moths are green, with reddish brown markings, and a series of zigzag black lines across each wing. The moths a wingspan of about 3 cms.

male

The males and females have similar wing patterns, but the males have feathery antennae, whereas the antennae of the females are thread-like.

female

The adult moth closely resembles that of Hypodoxa muscosaria, but Hypodoxa bryophylla is slightly larger, is less speckled, has small dark line at the outer end of the forewing discal cell, and usually has the brownish patches on the wings.

underside

The eggs are smooth, green, round and flattened. They have a diameter of about 1 mm. They are laid in small clusters.

eggs, magnified

The species has been found in:

Victoria,

New South Wales, and

Queensland