| Right-handed Twisted Pyramid Case Moth PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Buck Richardson,
Kurandah, Queensland)
|
| Right-handed Twisted Pyramid Case Moth PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Buck Richardson,
Kurandah, Queensland)
This Caterpillar initially attaches four sticks around its case, all of the same length, and attaches them at right angles to the axis of the case. When the caterpillar grows sufficiently long, it attaches a new set similarly arranged to the old set, except that they are slightly longer, so that the new part of the case is bigger, creating a pyramid structure.
For this caterpillar: they are attached twisted a few degrees clockwise (viewed from the small end) to the previous set of four. The caterpillar does this perhaps a dozen times as it grows, giving the pyramid a right-handed corkscrew appearance. The case can grow to a length of up to 3 cms.
The species has been found in
Cryptothelea (Oiketicus) dewitzi may create this sort of case, or this may the same species as Undetermined Psychid AF, or Undetermined Psychid AG, in those cases : the larva just forgetting to add the right twist for each layer of sticks.
 caterpillar |  butterflies |  Lepidoptera |  moths |  caterpillar |
(updated 22 April 2011, 22 July 2024)