The species has been deliberately introduced into Australia. About 8,000 were released by Craig Clarke, a PhD student with the University of Adelaide's Department of Crop Protection, in South Australia in a bid to combat two common species of weeds which were introduced from South Africa, possibly unintentionally in a ballast dump from a South African ship :

White Horehound ( Marrubium vulgare, LAMIACEAE ),

which are found throughout the Adelaide Hills, covering an estimated 20 million hectares of land, including valuable pasture.

Similar biological control programs have been implemented in Victoria and New South Wales.

The adult moth is pale green, and normally rests with its wings held flat against its supporting surface.

previous caterpillar

Australian butterflies

Australian caterpillars

Australian moths

next caterpillar

(updated 4 September 2009)