| Bell Moths, Leaf Rollers TORTRICOIDEA |  | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
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Some notable members of the 638 named Australian species
of TORTRICIDAE are listed here in three subfamilies:
CHLIDANOTINAE (9 named species)
OLETHREUTINAE (232 named species)
TORTRICINAE
(397 named species)
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Some members of this family are called Bell Moths because the outline of the wings in the natural posture of the adult moth resembles the silhouette of a church bell. Others are called Leaf Rollers because the Caterpillars of many species roll the leaves of their foodplant, joining them together with silk, and live and pupate within this leafy shelter. Some tunnel into flower spikes, fruit, or galls.
The Caterpillars of TORTRICIDAE in general are small with soft smooth skins and fine sparse hairs. They often wriggle backward when disturbed, trying to withdraw into any available crevice. They are also very inclined to drop on a silken thread.
Todd Gilligan has published images on the web of the adult moths of over 2,000 species in TORTRICIDAE from all over the world, including Australia.
 family |  butterflies |  Lepidoptera |  moths |  family |
(updated 15 June 2014, 2 February 2023)
