Stangeia xerodes (Meyrick, 1886)
 (previously known as Trichoptilus xerodes)
PTEROPHORINAE,   PTEROPHORIDAE,   PTEROPHORIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Debbie Matthews & Stella Crossley


(Photo: courtesy of Jenny Holmes, Great Western, Victoria)

This Caterpillar is brown with short hairs. The back of each segment has a pair of black-tipped pale grey warts. The Caterpillars have been reported feeding on the new shoots of:

  • Gynandropsis ( Cleome, CAPPARACEAE ),
  • Pidgeon Peas ( Cajanus cajan, FABACEAE ), and
  • various Wattles ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ).


    (Photo: courtesy of Jenny Holmes, Great Western, Victoria)

    The adult moth is brown with white markings. The legs have dark lines running lengthwise. The moth has a wingspan of about 1 cm. It is a keen feeder on nectar, having a remarkably long tongue.

    The species is found in

  • Papua,

    and also over most of mainland Australia, including:

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

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, figs. 30.18, 53.5, p. 333.

    Edward Meyrick,
    On the classification of the Pterophoridae.,
    Transactions of the Entomological Society of London,
    1886, pp. 14-15.

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    (updated 31 October 2012, 15 October 2020)