Eucyclodes insperata (Walker, 1861)
Lacy Emerald
 (formerly known as Thalassodes insperata)
GEOMETRINAE,   GEOMETRIDAE,   GEOMETROIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Anisozyga insperata
(Photo: courtesy of Elisabeth Burton, Mallabula, New South Wales)

The typical Caterpillar features are obscured in this animal by extensions to its body: it looks as though it is clothed in armour. A pair of triangular flanges extend sideways on each abdominal segment, and a pair of soft spikes extend from the last segment. Its colour pattern is various shades of cream, red, brown and/or green.

Anisozyga insperata
(Photo: courtesy of Elisabeth Burton, Mallabula, New South Wales)

It feeds on:

  • Exocarpus ( SANTALACEAE ),
  • Guava ( Psidium guajava, MYRTACEAE ), and
  • Angophora ( MYRTACEAE ).

    The Caterpillars take only about 20 days to reach pupation. They grow to a length of about 2 cms.

    Anisozyga insperata
    cocoon showing pupa
    (Photo: courtesy of Elisabeth Burton, Mallabula, New South Wales)

    The pupa is encased in a loose cocoon spun between curled leaves. The pupal duration is about 26 days in summer in Melbourne.

    Anisozyga insperata
    female
    (Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley, Melbourne, Victoria)

    The female and male moths differ. The female is green with wavy white and yellow borders to the wings. She has a wing span of about 3 cms.

    Anisozyga insperata
    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Elisabeth Burton, Mallabula, New South Wales)

    The male is also basically green, with a lacy white pattern. The male is slightly smaller than the female, having a wingspan of about 2.5 cms. The adults may be distinguished from those of some other species in this genus as the hind wings have a plain curved edge, with no scalloping.

    Anisozyga insperata
    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Evan Harris, Ipswich, Queensland)

    Eggs hatch after about 20 days in summer in Melbourne.

    Anisozyga insperata
    male underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Brenda and Barry Martin, Pambula, New South Wales)

    The species is found over much of Australia, including :

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Victoria, and
  • Tasmania.

    Anisozyga insperata
    female underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, pls. 11.17, 11.18, p. 373.

    Peter Hendry,
    At the light trap,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club,
    Newsletter Issue 45 (June 2007), pp. 18-22.

    Peter Marriott,
    Moths of Victoria: Part 4,
    Emeralds and Allies - GEOMETROIDEA (B)    ,
    Entomological Society of Victoria, 2012, pp. 32-33.

    Francis Walker,
    Geometrites,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 22 (1861), p. 555, No. 21.

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    (updated 29 June 2013, 10 July 2018, 8 October 2019, 25 April 2021)