| (formerly known as Plutorectis zophopepla) PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Clare D.,
Bungendore, New South Wales)
|
| (formerly known as Plutorectis zophopepla) PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Clare D.,
Bungendore, New South Wales)
This Caterpillar attaches sticks haphazardly, but approximately parallel, to its silk case, but near to the mouth of the case so that they jut out and form a conical shape.
Only the chitinised head and thorax are normally protruded from the case to crawl and feed. They are off-white with a complex dark brown pattern. The grey unprotected abdomen is kept shielded in the case.
The caterpillar has been found apparently feeding on
The case grows to a length of up to 5 cms.
The adult male moth has a wingspan of about 3 cms. It has black wings, brown antennae, and a hairy brown head, thorax, and abdomen. The black scales on the wings rapidly wear off, leaving the wings nearly transparent.
The species has been found in
Further reading :
Edward Meyrick & Oswald B. Lower,
Revision of the Australian Psychidae,
Transactions and proceedings and report of the Royal Society of South Australia,
Volume 31 (1907), p. 203, No. 16.
 caterpillar |  butterflies |  Lepidoptera |  moths |  caterpillar |
(updated 24 September 2010, 28 December 2024)