Elachista aposematica

Elachista aposematica Kaila, 2011
ELACHISTIDAE, GELECHIOIDEA

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

dorsal view, (Photo: courtesy of Lauri Kaila,
Elachistine Moths of Australia)

The Caterpillars of this species are smooth, long, and thin, with a pointed head and tail. The caterpillars are grey with a dark head and thorax. Abdominal segments 6,7,and 8 are black. The caterpillars can display a bright orange and black pattern. The caterpillars have been found feeding on

Coastal Saw Sedge ( Gahnia trifida, CYPERACEAE ).

The caterpillars bore downwards into a leaf of their foodplant creating a translucent yellowish mine between the upper and lower skins of the leaf. The mine is initially narrow, and broadens as the caterpillar matures, reaching a length of up to 12 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, digitally repaired)

When mature: the caterpillar exits the mine and forms a naked pupa attached to an adjacent leaf by a silk girdle and some hooks on the underside of the pupa.

The adult moths have patchy fawn forewings, and plain fawn hindwings. The moths have a wingspan of about 1 cm.

Eggs are laid on the edge of a leaf blade.

The species has been found in

Western Australia.

Further reading

Lauri Kaila,
Elachistine Moths of Australia: (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae),
Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Vol. 11,
CSIRO Publishing, 2011, pp. 5, 60, 195-197, 268, 413,
including Plate 11.15; Figs. 89, 90, 408.