Haritalodes derogata

Haritalodes derogata (Fabricius, 1775)
Cotton Leaf Roller
(one synonym : Zebronia salomealis Walker, 1859)
SPILOMELINAE, CRAMBIDAE, PYRALOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

(Photo: courtesy of David Mohn,, Chinese Christian Seminary, Hong Kong)

This Caterpillar is green with a dark brown head in its early instars, but becomes dark pink just before pupation. It lives in a rolled leaf of its food plant which can be a number of species in MALVACEAE, including:

Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ),

Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus ), and

Hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ).

and grows to a length of about 1.5 cms.

It pupates in its rolled leaf shelter. In Sydney in summer, the pupation stage lasts about two weeks.

Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, from
Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art

The adult is pale brown, with complex dark brown sinuous lines over each wing. In its resting position, it holds its antennae swept back over the forewings. The moth has a wingspan of about 2 cms.