| (formerly known as Plutorectis zophopepla) PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Clare D.,
Bungendore, New South Wales)
|
| (formerly known as Plutorectis zophopepla) PSYCHIDAE, TINEOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of
Clare D.,
Bungendore, New South Wales)
This Caterpillar attaches sticks haphazardly, but approximately parallel, to its silk case, but near to the mouth of the case : they jut out and form a conical shape.
Only the chitinised head and thorax are normally protruded from the case to crawl and feed. They are off-white with a complex dark brown pattern. The grey unprotected abdomen is kept shielded in the case.
The caterpillar has been found apparently feeding on
The case grows to a length of up to 5 cms.
The adult male moth has a wingspan of about 3 cms. It has black wings, brown antennae, and a hairy brown head, thorax, and abdomen. The black scales on the wings rapidly wear off, leaving the wings nearly transparent.
The species has been found in
Further reading :
Edward Meyrick & Oswald B. Lower,
Revision of the Australian Psychidae,
Transactions and proceedings and report of the Royal Society of South Australia,
Volume 31 (1907), p. 203, No. 16.
 caterpillar |  butterflies |  Lepidoptera |  moths |  caterpillar |
(updated 24 September 2010, 8 September 2025)