Agriophara nodigera Turner, 1900
STENOMATINAE ,   OECOPHORIDAE

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

Agriophara nodigera
(Photo: courtesy of Donald Hobern, Aranda)

These caterpillars feed on the green foliage of various trees in the family MYRTACEAE. The caterpillar makes silk shelter covered in frass between joind leaves.

It pupates in its shelter, which by then is composed of dead leaves. The pupa can make a rasping sound by bending, so rubbing pupal skin plates together. The hollow cavity between the dead leaves can seem to amplify this sound.

The adult moths have grey forewings, each with a broad dark streak along half the wing. The hindwings are pale grey. The wingspan is about 2 cms. When disturbed, they often run rather than fly.

The species has been found in eastern Australia, including:

  • Australian Capital Territory.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 231.


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    (updated 20 April 2009)