Idiodes apicata Guenée, 1857
(one synonym is : Choara indicator Walker, 1862)
 LITHININI ,   ENNOMINAE ,   GEOMETRIDAE

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

Idiodes apicata
(Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

These caterpillars are loopers, having only 4 prolegs. They are brown with a light and dark markings. The feed on :

  • Bracken ( Pteridium esculentum, POLYPODIOPHYTA ).

    Idiodes apicata
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

    The adult moth is pale brown with a faint submarginal band and varied darker markings on the forewings. The forewings have hooktips. The wingspan is about 5 cms.

    Idiodes apicata
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

    The eggs are spherical and covered in a fine embossed honeycomb pattern. Initially they are white, darkening through pink as hatching approaches.

    Idiodes apicata
    eggs, magnified
    (Photo: copyright Cathy Young)

    The species occurs over the southern half of Australia, including:

  • Queensland,
  • South Australia,
  • Tasmania,
  • Victoria and
  • Western Australia.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 35.3, p. 366.

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    (updated 20 July 2010)