Euproctis aliena

Euproctis aliena (Butler, 1886)
(previously known as : Orvasca aliena)
LYMANTRIINAE, EREBIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA

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

Euproctis aliena
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

This Caterpillar is yellow, with rows of black spots containing white dots along its length, and a red spot on each of the penultimate two segments.

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett, Queensland)

Each black spot has a bunch of hairs sticking out from it. A pair of black hair pencils stand out like a pair of horns arising from a pair of prominent orange verrucae: one each side of the head.

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

The caterpillar has been found on :

Peach tree ( Prunus persica, ROSACEAE ),

Wattle ( Acacia species, MIMOSACEAE ),

Bush Gardenia ( Gardenia megasperma, RUBIACEAE ), and

Cultivated Grape ( Vitis vinifera, VITACEAE ).

On Grapes, they feed on the stems of the bunches of fruit, seemingly only eating the fruit as a last resort.

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

On grapes: pupation occurs in a pale brown cocoon spun on its foodplant. In captivity, it pupated in a sparse cocoon at the bottom of its container.

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

The adult moths have white wings, with the males having a brown leading edge to the forewings. The abdomen is deep yellow, and hairy. The thorax is brown. The moths have prominent black eyes, and both sexes have feathery antennae. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The species has been found in

Western Australia,

Northern Territory, and

Queensland.

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