On the latter, it is a pest. The caterpillars live in a group in a shelter made by joining a number of leaves together with silk. The caterpillars drop on silk threads if disturbed.

When mature, the caterpillars descend and pupate in the soil.

(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda)

The adults have a striking pattern on the forewings of black on pale yellow. The hindwings are white with a broad black margin. The moths have a yellow and black banded abdomen. The wingspan is about 3 cms.

The eggs are yellowish-green, and are flattened. They are laid in an overlapping cluster, like tiles on a roof.

Control of the pest has being attempted using:

This species is found in south-east Asia, including

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 9.45, p. 354.

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(updated 18 February 2010)