Traminda aventiaria

Traminda aventiaria (Guenée, 1857)
(one synonym is: Gnamptoloma molybdias Meyrick, 1889)
STERRHINAE , GEOMETRIDAE

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

Gnamptoloma aventiaria
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin)

These Caterpillars may be any colour from green to brown with darker patches along the sides. They have flaps along the back that resemble leaflets of their foodplant. They move in looper fashion as they are missing the first three pairs of prolegs.

The caterpillars have been found feeding on the flowers and young foliage of various plants, including :

Pithecellobium species ( MIMOSACEAE ),

Black Wattle ( Acacia leiocalyx, MIMOSACEAE ),

Bark Wattle ( Acacia decurrens, MIMOSACEAE ),

Curracabah ( Acacia concurrens, MIMOSACEAE ),

Hickory Wattle ( Acacia aulacocarpa, MIMOSACEAE ), and

Roses ( Rosa species, ROSACEAE )

suspended pupa
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin)

The pupa is brown, and flattened with lateral flanges. It is suspended on silk threads typically between leaves.

(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin)

The adult moths of this species vary in colour from greenish to reddish. There is a dark-edged yellow diagonal line across each wing. They have forewings with a recurve in the margin at the apex with a brown edging. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

The species is found across south-east Asia, from India to the Pacific, including :

Borneo,

India, and

Taiwan,
and in Australia in:

Queensland,

Northern Territory, and

Western Australia.

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