Parotis marginata (Hampson, 1893)
(previously known as Cenocnemis marginata)
SPILOMELINAE,   CRAMBIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Parotis marginata
(Photo: courtesy of PC, Brisbane, Queensland)

These Caterpillars are pale green with several raised black lumps on each segment, and a pale brown head. They live in a shelter created from curled or joined leaves held with silk.

Parotis marginata
(Photo: courtesy of PC, Brisbane, Queensland)

The caterpillars are a pest on:

  • Milkwood Pine ( Alstonia scholaris, APOCYNACEAE ), and
  • Gardenia ( Gardenia jasminoides, RUBIACEAE ).

    The young caterpillars eat the flesh of the leaves leaving a skeleton of veins. Older caterpillars have been found feeding on the bark.

    Parotis marginata
    exposed pupa
    (Photo: courtesy of PC, Brisbane, Queensland)

    The caterpillars pupate in their shelter. Pupation lasts only 10 days in summer.

    Parotis marginata
    (Photo: courtesy of Nick Monaghan, Tewantin, Queensland)

    The adults are a deep green colour, with a crenulated brown line around the edges of each wing. The moths have a wing span of about 3 cms.

    Parotis marginata
    (Photo: courtesy of PC, Brisbane, Queensland)

    The male moths have a black hairy coremata.

    Parotis marginata
    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Dianne Clarke, Mapleton, Queensland)

    The species is found across south-east Asia, including

  • India,
  • New Guinea,
  • Philippines,
  • Taiwan,

    Parotis marginata
    Papua New Guinea, 1994

    as well as Australia, where it occurs in

  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland
  • New South Wales, and
  • Australian Capital Territory.

    Parotis marginata
    drawing by George F. Hampson, listed as Cenocnemis marginata
    ,
    The Macrolepidoptera Heterocera of Ceylon,
    Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the British Museum,
    Part IX (1893), Plate CLXXIII, fig. 23,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.


    Further reading :

    George Francis Hampson,
    The Macrolepidoptera Heterocera of Ceylon,
    Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the British Museum,
    Part 9 (1893), p. 169, and also Plate 173, fig. 23.


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    (updated 6 August 2013, 24 March 2017, 30 November 2020)