Opsirhina lechriodes (Turner, 1911)
Elusive White Spotted Snout Moth
(previously known as Rhathymodes lechriodes)
LASIOCAMPINAE,   LASIOCAMPIDAE,   BOMBYCOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Mike & Pat Coupar
and
Stella Crossley

Opsirhina lechriodes
late instar
(Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

The young instars of this caterpillar are hairy, and are pale grey or brown. with sparse red markings. Later instars develop a subtle pattern that looks like the wrinkled bark of a branch.

Opsirhina lechriodes
late instar, display posture
(Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

When disturbed : mature caterpillars display black markings sometimes edged with red, on the thorax.

Opsirhina lechriodes
head and thorax of last instar, and Marlene's thumb
(Photo: courtesy of Marlene Walter, Clifton Hill, Victoria)

The caterpillar feeds on:

  • various species of Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ).

    The caterpillar grows to a length of up to 6 cms.

    Opsirhina lechriodes
    (Photo: courtesy of David Akers, Won Wron, Victoria)

    It pupates in a cocoon on the foodplant.

    Opsirhina lechriodes
    female adult
    (Photo: courtesy of Donald Hobern, Aranda, Australian Capital Territory)

    The male and female adult moths are different. The females are stout and brown, with a wingspan of about 5 cms.

    Opsirhina lechriodes
    male adult
    (Photo from: "Flying Colours", Coupar & Coupar, 1992)

    The males are smaller with a white spot in the middle of each forewing. They have a wingspan of about 4 cms.

    Opsirhina lechriodes
    male adult
    (Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

    The species occurs in :

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory, and
  • Victoria.

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


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 389.

    Pat and Mike Coupar,
    Flying Colours,
    New South Wales University Press, Sydney 1992, p. 58.

    Peter Marriott,
    Moths of Victoria - Part 1,
    Silk Moths and Allies - BOMBYCOIDEA
    ,
    Entomological Society of Victoria, 2008, pp. 6-9.

    A. Jefferis Turner,
    Studies in australian Lepidoptera,
    Annals of the Queensland Museum,
    Volume 10 (1911), p. 89.


    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 30 March 2008, 6 April 2013, 17 December 2021, 3 February 2022)