Some Caterpillars of LYMANTRIINAE in Australia Tussock Moths EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA

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

LYMANTRIINAE eggs

LYMANTRIINAE pupae

LYMANTRIINAE moths

LYMANTRIINAE undersides

LYMANTRIINAE females

LYMANTRIINAE forewings

If you or people in your family are sensitive, you will have to be vigilant and collect any larvae that you see into say a jam jar for transport a long way away. Killing in situ or even burning them is hazardous as the hairs from the dead larvae can blow about and cause more inflammation.

The moths in the family are commonly called Tussock Moths because the caterpillars of members of the tribe ORGYRIINI have four long dense dorsal tufts of hair. Many also have other hair pencils on the head and/or tail. The caterpillars also have two coloured dorsal glands on abdominal segments six and seven. These glands appear to exude a liquid which deters ants from attacking the caterpillars.

Acyphas chionitis	Acyphas semiochrea	Acyphas species	Calliteara farenoides
Calliteara pura	Euproctis aliena	Euproctis baliolalis	Euproctis edwardsii
Euproctis lutea	Euproctis melanosoma	Euproctis semifusca	Euproctis subnobilis
Habrophylla euryzona	Iropoca rotundata	Leptocneria reducta	Lymantria pelospila
Olene cookiensis	Olene dryina	Olene mendosa	Oligeria hemicalla
Orgyia anartoides	Orgyia athlophora	Orgyia australis	Psalis pennatula

previous EREBIDAE subfamily caterpillars

Australian butterflies

Australian Lepidoptera

Australian caterpillars

next EREBIDAE family caterpillars

(updated 31 May 2014, 23 August 2023)