Crypsiphona ocultaria

Crypsiphona ocultaria (Donovan, 1805)
(erroneously: Phalaena occultaria)
GEOMETRINAE , GEOMETRIDAE

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

Crypsiphona ocultaria
early instar
(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The Caterpillar is green, tapering to a point at the front and a fork at the rear. A pale yellow-green lateral line extends each side from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail. It rests with its true legs tucked forwards around its mouth parts, so that its head capsule is almost hidden. It feeds on the leaves of

Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ).

To feed, the first instar bends over the leaf and eats the surface layer. Later instars eat the whole leaf from the edge inwards. The Caterpillar moves very little, clinging to the same position on the same leaf for several days at a time. When it does move, mouth parts and legs separate and point downwards. This makes the projection behind the head point upwards, like a conical hat.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The Caterpillar looks pretty as it 'tip toes' along a leaf: first the front end moves ahead, then the rear end loops forward to join it. When disturbed, the Caterpillar stands out stiffly like a twig. standing on its anal prolegs and the single pair of ventral prolegs. This is fine if it is on a twig, but is conspicuous when it happens to be on the edge of a leaf. Perhaps their normal predators are too silly to notice.

later instar
(Photo: courtesy of Laura Levens, Victoria)

In captivity the Caterpillars pupated four weeks after hatching from the egg. The pupa was formed in the soil. The adult moths emerged two weeks after pupation in February in Melbourne.

adult moth trying to read the time on a ladies wristwatch
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

The adult is surprising. Its upper surfaces are a dull grey marked with dark transverse wavy bands.

Underside
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

The undersides are strikingly patterned. They are pale grey, with black submarginal bands, bordered on the inside with red, and the fore wings each have a large black spot and an orange patch. The moth usually rests with its wings outspread. It has a wingspan of about 4 cms.

The eggs of this species are ovoid and green. They are laid irregularly along the edge of a leaf of the foodplant. They take about five days to hatch in captivity.

The species is found all over Australia, including:

Victoria, and