Eretmocera dioctis

Eretmocera dioctis (Meyrick, 1897)
SCYTHRIDIDAE

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

Eretmocera dioctis
(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

These caterpillars have been found feeding on grasses ( POACEAE ) including :

Rhodes Grass ( Chloris gayana ), and

Curly Windmill Grass ( Enteropogon acicularis ).

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

The adult moths have forewings which are dark brown with yellow blotches. The hindwings are yellow with a margin of long black hairs. The moth has an orange abdomen which has a tuft of black hairs on the tip. The moths only have a wingspan of about 1 cm.

The species has been found in:

New South Wales,

Queensland, and

Western Australia.

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 5.28, p. 266.