Anestia semiochrea

Anestia semiochrea (Butler, 1886)
(one synonym : Xanthodule inquinata)
LITHOSIINAE , ARCTIIDAE , NOCTUOIDEA

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

(updated 19 April 2008)

Anestia semiochrea larva
(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

We found eggs of this species on the trunk of a small Bottlebrush ( Callistemon, MYRTACEAE ). When the Caterpillars hatched, they refused to eat a wide variety of leaves offered. They were reared to adults on wet bark coated with

Lichen.

The Caterpillars are grey and black, with orange spots on its sides, and yellow speckles on its back and underside. Also two white lines run along the back. The Caterpillars have long fine hairs which project to the front, to the rear, and sideways. They grew to a length of about 1.5 cms.

They each formed a pupa inside a net-like cocoon made of silk and larval hairs, attached to the bark.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The adult male has light and dark grey fore wings. The hind wings are orange with a black apical patch, and with a black border that does not extend as far as the tornus.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The adult female has a length of about 1 cm. She is wingless, and has a body coloured like the Caterpillar: grey and black, with orange spots and yellow markings. The female stays near her cocoon, and the male copulates with her there. The eggs are laid on the cocoon.

The species has been found in

Australian Capital Territory,

Queensland and New South Wales.