![]() | PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Robert Gibbon,
Vincentia, New South Wales)
This Caterpillar attaches sticks to its silk case, of varying lengths, haphazardly, but approximately parallel to the case axis. The head and thorax are mainly black with some off-white markings.
The caterpillar has appeared to be feeding on
The case grows to a length of up to 4 cms.
The adult male moth had a wingspan of about 3 cms. The forewings are black with wide pale translucent margins. It has black antennae, and a hairy pale brown head and thorax.
The adult female is wingless. She is dark brown with white spots on the last abdominal segments. She stays in her case after metamorphosis, emitting pheromones to attract males. The males extend their abdomen to copulate with her through the tail end of the case.
The species has been found in
![]() caterpillar | ![]() butterflies | ![]() Lepidoptera | ![]() moths | ![]() caterpillar |
(written 8 January 2024, updated 19 July 2024)