Hypsipyla robusta

Hypsipyla robusta (Moore, 1886)
Cedar Tip Moth
(one synonym : Epicrocis terebrans Olliff, 1890)
PHYCITINI, PHYCITINAE, PYRALIDAE, PYRALOIDEA

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

Hypsipyla robusta
red form
(Specimen: courtesy of Maryclaire Fisher, Kempsey, New South Wales)

The Caterpillars of this moth vary from reddish through grey to greenish to blue. The head is dark brown, and there is a black patch on the prothorax. The body has raised black spots on each segment.

blue form
(Photo: courtesy of Denise McConnachie, Wollongong, New South Wales)

The caterpillar is a pest in Australia on :

Red Cedar ( Toona ciliata, MELIACEAE ),

and overseas on

American Cedar ( Cedrela species, MELIACEAE ),

Bastard Cedar ( Chukrasia tabularis, MELIACEAE ),

African Mahogany ( Khaya species, MELIACEAE ),

American Mahogany ( Swietenia species, MELIACEAE ), and

Teak ( Tectona species, LAMIACEAE ).

The species population is maintained in the wild on :

Cedar Mangroves ( Xylocarpus species, MELIACEAE ).

green form
(Photo: courtesy of Judy and David Addleton, Kempsey, New South Wales)

The caterpillars destroy the apical shoot, leading to the formation of side branching, and ultimately, a deformed trunk. It is possible that the caterpillars prefer to eat the pith in the stem rather than eating the leaves because the plant manufactures chemicals in the leaves that deter phytophagous insects. The species has been investigated by David Spolc at the University of Queensland, J. H. Mo, Fyfe Bygrave, and Saul Cunningham at the Australian National University, Canberra.

shoot damage
(Photo: courtesy of Judy and David Addleton, Kempsey, New South Wales)

The species is said only to attack trees in the light. Young small trees growing in the understory of a rainforest are not attacked. Young small trees planted as a plantation get more light and so are attacked, making cultivation of the valuable timber tree, the Red Cedar, rather difficult.

(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The adult moths are rather dull: brown forewings and buff hind wings, both with dark veins. The forewings also have a faint zigzag pattern. The wingspan is about 3 cms. The pheromones of this species have been identified.