Terastia subjectalis Lederer, 1863
 (one synonym is: Megaphysa quadratalis Walker, 1866)
SPILOMELINI   ,     PYRAUSTINAE   ,     CRAMBIDAE

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

Terastia subjectalis
(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda)

The caterpillars of this species have been found boring into seed pods and stems of:

  • Tiger's Claw ( Erythrina indica, FABACEAE )

    The adult moth has wavy wings, with a pattern of light and dark brown on each forewing. The hindwings are pale brown with a broad darker margin.

    The pheromones of this species have been determined.

    The species occurs across the Indian and south Pacific Oceans, including:

  • Fiji,
  • Hawaii,
  • La Reunion,
  • Okinawa,
  • Samoa,
  • Society Island,
  • Sri Lanka,
    as well as in Australia in:
  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland, and
  • Western Australia.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 9.41, p. 358.

    Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards,
    A Guide to Australian Moths, CSIRO Publishing, 2007, p. 135.

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    (updated 19 March 2012)