Woolly-bodied Golden Moth
S2, ventral
Adelaide Hills
Green Looper
Mandibles & Eyes
 
                      
Green Looper (Plusiinae cf sp)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera)
Family: Owlet moth (:Noctuoidea Noctuidae Plusiinae)
Species: Green Looper (Plusiinae cf sp)
This Photo:     Profile

Thank you Don Herbison-Evans for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found in the Adelaide Hills and possibly elsewhere
Marie found this in a lettuce bought from a shop in April.
It was damaged and died 24 hrs later when we tried to raise it.
Plusiinae is a sub-family, and may be raised to a family status in the future. We were worried it was a new invasion of an exotic, Silver Y (Autographa gamma), yet to be found in Australia
Don said "As a green smooth semi-looper feeding on Asteraceae: I agree that it is likely in Plusiinae, but sadly the larvae like this of species in Plusiinae are variable and nearly indistinguishable."

Copyright © 2017-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 11-Apr-2017
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.