Lomera boisduvalii (Westwood, 1856)
(previously known as Oiketicus boisduvalii)
PSYCHIDAE,   TINEOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


case and empty pupa of male, drawing by John O. Westwood, listed as Oiketicus boisduvalii
,
Descriptions of some species of Lepidopterous insects belonging to the genus Oiketicus,
Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, Volume 22 (1854), Plate XXXVII, fig. 2,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library,
digitized by Natural History Museum Library, London.

These caterpillars live in a silk case covered in vegetation, The caterpillars are thought to feed on :

  • Grass ( POACEAE ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

    The male adult moths of this species have plain brown wings. The wingspan is about 2.5 cms.


    male, drawing: John O. Westwood, listed as Oiketicus boisduvalii
    ,
    Descriptions of some species of Lepidopterous insects belonging to the genus Oiketicus,
    Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, Volume 22 (1854), Plate XXXVII, fig. 2,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library,
    digitized by Natural History Museum Library, London.

    The female has only vestigial wings, and she cannot fly.


    female, drawing: John O. Westwood, listed as Oiketicus boisduvalii,

    Descriptions of some species of Lepidopterous insects belonging to the genus Oiketicus,
    Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,
    Volume 22 (1854), Plate XXXVII, fig. 2,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library,
    digitized by Natural History Museum Library, London.

    The species is found in:

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales, and
  • Victoria.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, Fig. 19.6, p. 179.

    John O. Westwood,
    Descriptions of some species of Lepidopterous insects belonging to the genus Oiketicus,
    Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,
    Volume 22 (1854), p. 232,, and also Plate 37, figs. 2.


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    (updated 1 November 2008)