Philobota philostaura (Meyrick, 1883)
 (formerly known as Eulechria philostaura)
PHILOBOTA GROUP
OECOPHORINAE,   OECOPHORIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Philobota philostaura
(Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

These Caterpillars have been found feeding on dead leaves, of various species, including

  • Gum trees ( Eucalyptus and Angophora species, MYRTACEAE ),
  • Wattles ( Acacia species, MIMOSACEAE ), and
  • Candle Flowers ( Banksia species, PROTEACEAE ).

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

    The adult moth of this species has patchy grey-brown forewings with dark markings, including a wavy submarginal arc of dark spots. The hindwings are pale brown fading to white at the bases. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

    The species has been found in eastern Australia, including:

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory,
  • Victoria, and
  • Tasmania.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Oecophorine Genera of Australia II: The Chezala, Philobota and Eulechria groups (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae),
    Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Volume 5,
    CSIRO Publishing, 1997, pp. 267, 291.

    Edward Meyrick,
    Descriptions of Australian Micro-Lepidoptera. VIII. Oecophoriidae,
    Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
    Volume 7, Part 4 (1883), p. 537.

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    (written 23 October 2014, updated 20 October 2018, 9 December 2020)