Trictena atripalpis

Trictena atripalpis (Walker, 1856)
(one synonym: Trictena argentata Tindale, 1932)
Bardee or Bardy or Bardi Grub, and Rain Moth or Waikerie
HEPIALIDAE

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

(Photo: courtesy of Fiona Murdoch, University of Ballarat)

This Caterpillar is a great favorite of fishermen, being a great bait for fishing. The common name of "Bardee","Bardi","Badee", or "Bargi" grub is more strictly the larva of the beetle Bardistus cibarius, although Bardi is also used generally for the larvae of Cerambycid Beetles, as well as various ground dwelling and wood boring moth larvae, including that of Trictena atripalpis. They all make good bait for fishing.

The Caterpillars of this particular species live in tunnels in the ground where they feed on the roots of adjacent Australian native trees, such as :

Belah ( Casuarina pauper, CASUARINACEAE ), and

Red Gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis, MYRTACEAE ).

empty pupal case sticking out of the mouth of the tunnel
(Photo: courtesy of Joel Catchlove, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia)

The adults often emerge after rain, typically in autumn, leaving the empty pupal case sticking out of the ground, so the adults are often called Rain Moths. The moths have fawn wings with two silver flash markings across each forewing. The wingspan of the males can reach 12 cms. That of the females can reach 16 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Fiona Murdoch, University of Ballarat)

The adult females deposit large numbers of eggs. Indeed, this species holds the World Fecundity Record, for the greatest number of eggs being deposited by a non-social insect. One dissected female had 44,100 eggs. It is thought that they are laid in flight.

(Photo: courtesy of Ken Harris, Morwell Park, Victoria)

The species is found across the whole southern half of Australia, including:

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Australian Capital Territory,

Victoria,

Tasmania,

South Australia, and

Western Australia.

Many people have wondered about rearing the Caterpillars commecially. This could be possible if one could catch a gravid female, and provide the larvae with an artificial food medium, perhaps like the bark/clover/carrot diet used by Rachel A. Allan et al. for rearing Wiseana copularis.