Opsirhina alphaea

Opsirhina alphaea (Fabricius, 1775)
(one synonym : Odonestis hilaropa Lower, 1900)
LASIOCAMPINAE, LASIOCAMPIDAE, BOMBYCOIDEA

Opsirhina alphaea
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin, Northern Territory)

This is a brown hairy caterpillar, with a pale dorsal stripe, and two black spots behind the thorax. It feeds on:

various species of Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ).

female
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin, Northern Territory)

The adult moths are stout and brown with a white spot in the middle of each forewing.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The male has a wingspan of about 3 cms. The female about 3.5 cms.

eggs, magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin, Northern Territory)

The eggs are cream mottled with brown, and each has two brown spots. They are laid in a jumbled mass on a twig.

(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin, Northern Territory)

The species has been found in :

female
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin, Northern Territory)

Further reading :

Johan Christian Fabricius,
Historiae Natvralis Favtoribvs,
Systema Entomologiae,
1775, p. 575, No. 57.

Australian
Australian Butterflies

Australian
Australian Moths

(updated 12 September 2011, 1 September 2025)