Ironopolia sobriella (Walker, 1863)
 (previously known as Depressaria sobriella)
WINGIA GROUP,   OECOPHORINAE,   OECOPHORIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Ironopolia sobriella
(Photo: courtesy of Donald Hobern, Australian Capital Territory)

The Caterpillars of this species live and feed in a shelter consisting of two dead foodplant leaves joined with silk and frass. The caterpillars feed on various species of

  • Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus species, MYRTACEAE ).

    The mature caterpillar cuts an oval section of its shelter to form a case in which to pupate.

    Ironopolia sobriella
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The adult moth has pale brown forewings with dark spots on them. The hindwings are plain brown. The wingspan is just under 2 cms.

    The species has been found in :

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

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Oecophorine Genera of Australia I:
    The Wingia Group (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)    ,
    Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Volume 3,
    CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 1994, pp. 170-173.

    Francis Walker,
    Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
    List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
    Part 29 (1864), pp. 565-566.

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    (updated 1 November 2012, 10 January 2015, 2 November 2020)