Hestiochora tricolor (Walker, 1854)
(previously known as : Procris tricolor)
 PROCRIDINAE ,   ZYGAENIDAE

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

Hestiochora tricolor

The Caterpillar of this species feeds on various species of MYRTACEAE including :

  • Turpentine ( Syncarpia glomulifera ), and
  • various Gum Trees ( Eucalyptus ).

    The adult moth is rather wasp-like, having a black body with white bands, and a red collar around its head. The wings are black but lose the scales readily to become partly transparent. The moth has a wingspan of about 2 cms.

    Hestiochora tricolor
    underside

    The species is found over the southern half of Australia, including

  • Tasmania,
  • Victoria, and
  • New South Wales.

    The species name actually covers a complex of several unrelated species, which are superficially similar, but which can only be distinguished by microscopic examination of the genitalia.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 7.18, pp. 297-298.

    Gerhard M. Tarmann,
    Zygaenid moths of Australia: a revision of the Australian Zygaenidae, CSIRO Publishing, 2004.

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    (updated 28 January 2012)