Moerarchis clathrata (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)
(one synonym: Scardia dictyotis Meyrick, 1893)
TINEIDAE

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


adult moth hanging upside-down
(Photo: courtesy of Johnny Prefumo)

This Caterpillar bores into the dead stems of :

  • Grass Tree ( Xanthorrhoea, XANTHORRHOEACEA ).

    It lines its boreholes with silk which projects from the tunnel and has a silk cap.


    (Photo: courtesy of Katy Macknay, Mt Helena, Western Australia)

    The adult moth has white forewings tending to yellow at the margin, with a black latticework pattern on them. The hindwings are brown. It has a wingspan of about 2 cms.

    The species is found in the south of

  • Western Australia.

    Further reading :

    Gaden S. Robinson & Ebbe S. Nielsen, Tineid Genera of Australia, Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Volume 2, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 1993.

    Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards,
    A Guide to Australian Moths, CSIRO Publishing, 2007, p. 51.

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    (updated 13 March 2011)