Lepidoscia species A Cone Case Moth PSYCHIDAE,   TINEOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

early instar, hanging by a thread
length approximately 0.4 cms.
(Photo: courtesy of Susan Wishart, Paddys River, Australian Capital Territory)

This Caterpillar lives in a conical silken shelter covered in small bits of leaf of its foodplants.

length approximately 0.7 cms.
(Photo: courtesy of Karl Granzien, Upper Caboolture, Queensland)

The caterpillar does this at intervals between which it moved to differently coloured vegetation, resulting in coloured bands along the case.

later instar, length approximately 2 cms.
(Photo courtesy of David, Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory)

Caterpillars like this have been found in

Australian Capital Territory.

(Photo courtesy of Joan Fearn, Moruya, New South Wales)

Only the head and thorax have a hard chitinous shell. The caterpillar normally keeps its vulnerable unarmoured abdomen inside its case.

showing head and thorax
(Photo courtesy of David, Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory)

The caterpillar is thought to be a Lepidoscia species.

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(updated 18 August 2018, 15 March 2021)