Cryptophasa immaculata Scott, 1864
 XYLORYCTIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


drawing by Harriet and Helena Scott,
Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 1 (1864), Plate 3,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Australian Museum.

This Caterpillar is off-white with a series of black marks along the back, and has a rusty brown thorax. The caterpillar bores a hole into the branch of a tree. It has been found feeding on various trees, including :

  • Old Man Banksia ( Banksia serrata, PROTEACEAE ).

    The caterpillars grow to a length of about 2.5 cms. They pupate in their borehole.


    drawing by Harriet and Helena Scott    ,
    Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 1 (1864), Plate 3,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Australian Museum.

    The adult moth has grey wings each with greenish and pinkish areas. The abdomen is white. The wingspan is about 2.5 cms.

    The species has been found in :

  • New South Wales.

    Further reading :

    Ian McMillan,
    Cryptophasa immaculata, Xyloryctine Moths of Australia,
    Blog, Wednesday, September 15, 2010.

    Michael F. Braby and Penny Olsen.
    A Flutter of Butterflies,
    National Library of Australia, 2011, p. 98.

    Harriet, Helena, and Alexander W. Scott,
    Australian Lepidoptera,
    Australian Lepidoptera and their Transformations,
    Volume 1 (1864), p. 9, and also Plate 3.

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    (written 19 June 2014, updated 11 January 2023)