Gumleaf Skeletoniser Larvae, Black one with others | Gumleaf Skeletoniser Larvae, Perspective | |||||
Class: | Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) | ||||
Order: | Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera) | ||||
Family: | Tuft Moth (:Noctuoidea Nolidae) iNaturalist Observation | ||||
Species: | Gumleaf Skeletoniser (Uraba lugens) | ||||
This Photo: | Larvae, Different sizes | ||||
Thank you Rog Standen for confirming the id of this species for us General Species Information: Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA), the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere The main diagnostic features of the larvae are: Small (around 4mm), very hairy (long), 4 rows of yellow dots and they eat / live on the surfaces of gum leaves Very variable skin colour; as can be seen. As well as orange or black heads. The adults have a distinctive, mid-wing, horizontal line that separates them from any close relatives. They are generally a dull (ie not shiny) looking grey moth, with males & females looking similar. Males have bipectinate antennae, with females having filiform. Note the various scale tufts on the female's wings. In fact much of the mid-wing line look raised. These are also present on the male, just weren't as visible in our photo's. | |||||
| |||||
|