Diaphania indica

Diaphania indica (Saunders, 1851)
Cucumber Moth
(one synonym : Phalellura gazorialis)
SPILOMELINI , PYRAUSTINAE , CRAMBIDAE

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

Diaphania indica
female
(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, Queensland)

This species is a pest on various mebers of the plant family CUCURBITACEAE, such as:

Pumpkin ( Cucunis pepo ),

Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ), and

Melon ( Cucumis melo ).

male
(Photo: courtesy of John Stumm)

The adult moths have transparent wings with broad dark brown borders. The moths have a wing span of about 3 cms. There is a tuft of brown hairs on the tip of the abdomen.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Debbie Bray, Charters Towers, Queensland)

The tuft on the end of the abdomen of the female is rather bushier than that of the male. Unfertilised females are quite amusing as they are inclined to keep wiggling this tuft in a figure of eight, presumably to better disperse a pheromone which they emit, in order to attract a male. The chemical nature of the pheromones has been identified.

The species occurs in Asia, including:

Hong Kong,

India, and

Japan,
as well as over much of tropical and sub-tropical Australia, including:

New South Wales,

Northern Territory,

Queensland, and

Western Australia.