Periscepta polysticta

Periscepta polysticta (Butler, 1875)
Spotted Day-moth
(one synonym : Agarista casuarinae Scott, 1864)
AGARISTINAE, NOCTUIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA

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

Periscepta polysticta
(Photo: courtesy of Ian Common, from Moths of Australia)

This Caterpillar is black with cream spots, and has a cream stripe along each side. It also has a brown rump and a brown head. It is reported to feed on:

Bundled Guinea Flower ( Hibbertia fasciculata, DILLENIACEAE ) and

Hoary Guinea Flower ( Hibbertia obtusifolia, DILLENIACEAE ).

(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The adult moth is black with white spots of various sizes scattered all over the forewings, and a white margin to each of the hindwings. The body is black with a yellow tuft on the end of the abdomen.

underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The species occurs over much of mainland Australia, including

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Australian Capital Territory,

Victoria,

South Australia, and

Western Australia.

Specimen probably damaged by a bird
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

Further reading :

Arthur G. Butler,
Notes on certain Genera of Agaristidae, with Descriptions of new Species,
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History,
Series 4, Volume 15 (1875), p. 138, No. 1, and also Plate 13, fig 1.

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pls. 22.29, 32.9, p. 464.

Peter Marriott,
Moths of Victoria - Part 8,
Night Moths and Allies - NOCTUOIDEA(B),
Entomological Society of Victoria, 2017, pp. 34-35.

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(updated 16 March 2012, 29 August 2021)