Cryptoblabes adoceta Turner, 1904
Sorghum Head Moth or False Blossom Moth
 PHYCITINAE,   PYRALIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


(Photo: courtesy of J. Wessels, Pests of Field Crops and Pastures: Identification and Control,
ed Peter T. Bailey, CSIRO Publishing, p. 232.)

The caterpillars of this species are a minor agricultural pest, feeding in the seed heads of crops, including:

  • Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, POACEAE), and
  • Pigeon Peas (Cajanus cajan, FABACEAE).

    The caterpillars have a yellow and brown pattern and taper a both ends. They form a silk web on the leaves of their foodplant. They grow to length of about 1.3 cms.


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

    The adult moth is dark brown, with a ragged pale band across each forewing. The wingspan is about 1.5 cms.


    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The species occurs in:

  • New Guinea,
  • Philippines,

    as well as in Australia in

  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 66, 350.

    A. Jefferis Turner,
    A preliminary revision of the Australian Thyrididae and Pyralidae: Part I,
    Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland,
    Volume 18 (1904), p. 150.

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    (updated 11 September 2008, 2 January 2025)