Nomophila corticalis (Walker, 1869)
 (one synonym : Nomophila australica Munroe, 1973)
SPILOMELINAE,   CRAMBIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Peter Marriott & Stella Crossley

Nomophila corticalis
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader, Victoria)
 
Nomophila corticalis
(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The young Caterpillars of this species are gregarious, living in a nest of leaves of the foodplant joined with silk. Later, they make holes in the ground lined with silk in which to live, emerging to feed at night. In captivity, they accepted leaves from plants of many families, including :

  • ASTERACEAE,
  • FABACEAE, and
  • POLYGONACEAE.

    Nomophila corticalis
    (Photo: courtesy of Jenny Holmes, Wimmera, Victoria)

    The adult moths have brown forewings, each with a specific pattern of light and dark splotches. The hindwings are pale brown, each with a variable dark band along the margin. The moths have a wingspan of about 2 cms.

    Nomophila corticalis
    (Photo: courtesy of Marion Helwig, near Geraldton, Western Australia)

    The species has been found on

  • Christmas Island,

    and over most of Australia including:

  • Western Australia,
  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory,
  • Victoria,
  • Tasmania, and
  • South Australia.

    Nomophila corticalis
    (Photo: copyright of Uwe Path, Alice Springs, Northern Territory)

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 34.4, p. 357.

    Francis Walker,
    Characters of undescribed Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    E.W. Janson, London, 1869, pp. 73-74, No. 23.

    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 30 January 2013, 11 August 2019, 3 July 2020)