(one synonym : Plusia agens Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) CALPINAE, EREBIDAE, NOCTUOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) & Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Kit Law,
Hong Kong)
The Caterpillar of this species is black with white markings, particularly on the enlarged last segment. and has an orange head. The caterpillar is missing the first two pairs of prolegs, so walks in a looper fashion. The caterpillar has been found feeding on :
The adult moth is brown with a darker diagonal mark across each forewing. The forewings look as though they had a slice cut away from each of the hind margins.
There is a crest of scales halfway along the hind margin of each forewing that disguises its shape when the moth is at rest with the wings folded. The moths have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.
The species occurs over south-east Asia, including
and in Australia, the species may be found over most of
The adult moths have been accused of piercing fruit, particularly grapes and peaches, causing losses to orchard owners.
Further reading :
Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 449.
Rudolf Felder & Alois F. Rogenhofer,
Zoologischer Theil: Lepidoptera,
Reise der Osterreichischen Fregatte Novara,
Band 2, Abtheilung 2 (5) (1875), p. 16, and also
Plate 110, fig. 32.
Lois Hughes & John Moss,
Fruit-piercing Moths - Night Raiders,
Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club,
Metamorphosis Australia,
Issue 67 (December 2012), pp. 4-9.
Vincenz Kollar & Ludwig Redtenbacher,
Aufzählung und Beschreibung der von Freiherrn Carl v. Hügel
auf seiner Reise durch Kaschmir und des Himaleya Gebirge gesammelten Insecten,
in Freiherrn Carl v. Hügel: Kaschmir und das Reich der Siek,
Stuttgart, Volume 4, Part 2 (1844), p. 482.
caterpillar | butterflies | Lepidoptera | moths | caterpillar |
(updated 14 August 2008, 21 July 2024)