Gum Tree Borer Moth (one synonym : Cryptophaga lurida Meyrick, 1890) XYLORYCTIDAE, GELECHIOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
The Caterpillar of this species bores into young
feeding on the wood and the bark.
The female adult moth has forewings that vary from satin white through pink or yellow to dark gey, usually with three or four dark dots near the middle, and a row of dark dots along each margin. The hindwings are dark grey, fading at the margins. The body is black, but with an orange segment halfway along the abdomen.
The males vary from white, through grey, to nearly black. They have thicker antennae than the females, and are smaller than the females, having a wingspan of about 3 cms.
The females have a wingspan of about 5 cms.
The species is found in Australia in:
Further reading :
Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 6.7, p. 230.
Ian McMillan,
Cryptophasa balteata, Xyloryctine Moths of Australia,
Blog, Saturday, September 18, 2010.
caterpillar | butterflies | Lepidoptera | moths | caterpillar |
(updated 22 April 2009, 25 May 2020)