Anadevidia peponis

Anadevidia peponis (Fabricius, 1775)
(one synonym : Plusia agramma Guenée, 1852)
PLUSIINAE, NOCTUIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA

Anadevidia peponis
early instar, magnified
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Concord, New South Wales)

The early instars are green with black spikes. They have some missing prolegs, and so move like loopers.

Later instars develop white markings.

later instar
(Photo: courtesy of Harold McQueen, Goodna, Queensland)

This Caterpillar is a pest of plants in the family CUCURBITACEAE, such as:

Watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus ),

Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ),

Butternut Squash ( Cucurbita moschata ),

Bitter Melon ( Momordica charantia ), and

pupa in broken cocoon
(Photo: courtesy of Harold McQueen, Goodna, Queensland)

The very pale brown pupa is formed in a sparse cocoon in a crevice or dry leaf.

(Photo: courtesy of Boris Branwhite, Wyong Shire, New South Wales)

The moth is brown, with vague dark patches, and a golden sheen to its wings. It has a wingspan of about 4 cms. Its pheromones have been identified.

(Photo: courtesy of Harold McQueen, Goodna, Queensland)

The eggs are white and spherical, with a diameter of about 0.5 mm. They are laid individually on the underside of a leaf of a food plant.

eggs, magnified
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Concord, New South Wales)

The species occurs across south-east Asia, including

and in Australia in

underside
(Photo: courtesy of Harold McQueen, Goodna, Queensland)

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 48.17, pp. 65, 460.

Johan Christian Fabricius,
Historiae Natvralis Favtoribvs,
Systema Entomologiae,
1775, p. 608, No. 75.

Australian
Australian Butterflies

Australian
Australian Moths

(updated 14 October 2008, 22 December 2012, 5 July 2020, 7 July 2021, 21 April 2022)