Acyphas semiochrea

Acyphas semiochrea (Herrich-Schaffer, [1855])
(one synonym : Acyphas leucomelas)
LYMANTRIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Ian F.B. Common & Stella Crossley

Acyphas semiochrea
(Photo from: Moths of Australia)

This Caterpillar is brown and hairy, with a dorsal row of pale patches, and with a pencil of black hairs each side of its head. It also has a hairy tail. It is a pest in South Australia on:

Monterey Pine ( Pinus radiata, PINACEAE ).

and also known to feed on:

Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ),

Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),

Pultenaea ( FABACEAE ),

Dodonaea ( SAPINDACEAE ),

Choretrum ( SANTALACEAE ),

Myoporum ( MYOPORACEAE ), and

Tamarix ( TAMARICACEAE ).

Male
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott)

The adult female moth is white, and has an orange tuft on the tail. The male moths are white, sometimes with a dark mark at the tornus of each forewing, and sometimes with a broad dark band along the margin of each forewing. Sometimes the hairs around the thorax are yellowish. Sometimes the black skin of the thorax and/or abdomen shows through between the white hairs. The moths have a wingspan up to 3 cms. It is possible that the one name is being used for more than one species.

Male
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott)

The eggs are laid in a cluster almost anywhere. They are covered by the female with brown hairs from her body.

The species occurs around most of the coast of Australia, including:

Victoria, and

Male
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)