Palpita annulata (Fabricius, 1794)
 (one synonym : Botys celsalis Walker, 1859)
SPILOMELINAE,   CRAMBIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Palpita annulata
(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda, Queensland)

The Caterpillars of this species have been found overseas feeding on the foliage of plants in the family OLEACEAE , including :

  • Waxleaf Privet ( Ligustrum quihoui ), and
  • Golden Privet ( Ligustrum vicaryi ),

    on which it is a pest.

    Palpita annulata
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/CNC/CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The adult moth is white with a yellow costa and pale yellow patches outlined in black on the forewings. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

    The eggs are laid on young shoots.

    Control of the pest is possible using various insecticides.

    The species is found over south-east Asia, including:

  • China,
  • Taiwan,

    as well as in Australia in:

  • Queensland.

    Further reading :

    Johan Christian Fabricius,
    Entomologia Systematica Emendata et Aucta,
    Volume 3, Part 2 (1794), p. 212, No. 307.

    Buck Richardson,
    Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art,
    LeapFrogOz, Kuranda, 2015, p. 45.

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    (updated 31 January 2013, 14 January 2025)