Entometa guttularis

Entometa guttularis (Walker, 1855)
Spotted Gum Moth
(previously known as Amydona guttularis)
LASIOCAMPINAE, LASIOCAMPIDAE, BOMBYCOIDEA

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

Entometa guttularis
(Photo: courtesy of S. Williams, Moths of Victoria: Part 1)

The Caterpillars of this species are brown. sometimes mottled, and sometimes plain brown.

horns erected
(Photo: courtesy of Tony Bailey, Gold Coast, Queensland)

The caterpillars have a pair of erectable fleshy howns behind the head, and a floppy knob on the tail. When threatened, the caterpillar curls its head under its body, and displays a pair black and pale blue bands behind the head.

coloured bands being displayed
(Photo: courtesy of Tony Bailey, Gold Coast, Queensland)

The caterpillars have been recorded feeding on the foliage of of various members of MYRTACEAE, including

Bottle Brush ( Callistemon species ),

Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus species ), and

Paperbark ( Melaleuca species ).

(Photo: courtesy of S. Williams, Moths of Victoria: Part 1)

The caterpillars pupate in a papery white cocoon between foodplant leaves.

male
(Photo: copyright of Uwe Path, Alice Springs)

The adult moths have brown forewings with dark wiggly transverse lines and arcs of spots. The hindwings are a streaky orange.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Dianne Clarke Mapleton, Queensland)

The males are smaller than the females, but have a similar coloration. The wingspan of the males is about 4 cms. The wingspan of the females is about 6 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria: Part 1)

The males have forewings that have a recurved margins, and have feathery antennae. The females have forewings with convex margins, and have thread-like antennae.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria: Part 1)

The moths have a pale patch under the hindwing, which can be used to distinguish them from Entometa fervens.

male, underside
(Photo: copyright of Uwe Path, Alice Springs)

The species has been found over much of Australia, including:

Western Australia,

Northern Territory,

Queensland,

Australian Capital Tewrritory,

Victoria,

South Australia.

eggs
(Photo: courtesy of Dianne Clarke Mapleton, Queensland)

The eggs are small flattened spheres with a width of about 1 mm. They are pale brown mottled with white, and have brown tips. They are laid in irregular arrays of a dozen or so.

one egg magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Dianne Clarke Mapleton, Queensland)