Hypobapta diffundens

Hypobapta diffundens (T.P. Lucas, 1891)
Diffundens Grey
(one synonym : Hypochroma eugramma Lower, 1892)
GEOMETRINAE, GEOMETRIDAE, GEOMETROIDEA

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

(Photo: courtesy of Steve Williams, Moths of Victoria: Part 4)

The Caterpillars of this species are initially brown, later instars becoming green with a pale line each side along the spiracles. The head is pointed. The caterpillars feed on the foliage of

Gum trees ( Eucalyptus species, MYRTACEAE ).

male
(Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

The adult moths are grey with two jagged black lines across each forewing, and a paler area between them. The undersides are pale grey with a broad black submarginal band under each hindwing. There are thin black bands between the segments of the abdomen. The wingspan is about 3 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria: Part 4)

The species is found in

Northern Territory,

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Australian Capital Territory,

Victoria,

South Australia, and

Western Australia.

underside
(Photo: courtesy of Gary Brooks, Tinnanbar, Queensland)

Further reading:

Thomas P. Lucas,
On Queensland and other Australian Lepidoptera with descriptions of new species,
Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
Series 2, Volume 6, Part 2 (1891), p. 298.

Peter B. McQuillan, Jan A. Forrest, David Keane, & Roger Grund,
Caterpillars, moths, and their plants of Southern Australia,
Butterfly Conservation South Australia Inc., Adelaide (2019), p. 139.

Peter Marriott,
Moths of Victoria: Part 4,
Emeralds and Allies - GEOMETROIDEA (B),
Entomological Society of Victoria,
2013, pp. 30-31.

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(updated 28 June 2013, 19 June 2018, 19 October 2020)