Entometa chlorosacca Turner, 1924 Green Purse Gum Snout Moth (previously known as Lebeda apicalis) LASIOCAMPINAE,   LASIOCAMPIDAE,   BOMBYCOIDEA

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

cocoon
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria - Part 1)

The species is unusual as the Caterpillar uses green silk to make its cocoon, which it hangs from a twig of the foodplant.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Robin Sharp, Korong Vale, Victoria)

The adult moths have brown wings with faint darker markings, including a darker spot near the centre of each forewing. The hindwings tend to orange. At rest, the hindwings protrude from under the forewings.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria - Part 1)

The males are smaller than, and have similar coloration to, the females, but have forewings that have a concave margin, and less obvious darker markings, except for the forewing dark spot. The males have feathery antennae, and the females have thread-like antennae. The females have a much fatter abdomen. The wingspan of the males is about 5 cms. The wingspan of the females is about 7 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria - Part 1)

The species is found over much of Australia, including:

Northern Territory.

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Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 27.14, p. 390.

Peter Marriott,
Moths of Victoria - Part 1,
Silk Moths and Allies - BOMBYCOIDEA,
Entomological Society of Victoria, 2008, pp. 10-11.

A. Jefferis Turner,
Revision of Australian Lepidoptera. Lasiocampidae.,
Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
Volume 49 (1924), p. 420-421, No. 38.

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(updated 22 March 2009, 21 August 2020, 24 March 2021)