To feed, the first instar bends over the leaf and eats the surface layer. Later instars eat the whole leaf from the edge inwards. The Caterpillar moves very little, clinging to the same position on the same leaf for several days at a time. When it does move, mouth parts and legs separate and point downwards. This makes the projection behind the head point upwards, like a conical hat.

The Caterpillar looks pretty as it 'tip toes' along a leaf: first the front end moves ahead, then the rear end loops forward to join it. When disturbed, the Caterpillar stands out stiffly like a twig. standing on its anal prolegs and the single pair of ventral prolegs. This is fine if it is on a twig, but is conspicuous when it happens to be on the edge of a leaf. Perhaps their normal predators are too silly to notice.

In captivity the Caterpillars pupated four weeks after hatching from the egg. The pupa was formed in the soil. The adult moths emerged two weeks after pupation in February in Melbourne.

(Photo: courtesy of Paul and Tony Dann of specimen taken in Lismore, NSW)

The adult is surprising. Its upper surfaces are a dull grey marked with dark transverse wavy bands.

adult moth trying to read the time on a ladies wristwatch
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

but the undersides are strikingly patterned. They are pale grey, with black submarginal bands, bordered on the inside with red, and the fore wings each have a large black spot and an orange patch. The moth usually rests with its wings outspread. It has a wingspan of about 4 cms.

Underside
(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

The species is found all over Australia.

Further reading :

David Carter,
Butterflies and Moths, Collins Eyewitness Handbooks, Sydney 1992, p. 195.

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 372.

Pat and Mike Coupar,
Flying Colours, New South Wales University Press, Sydney 1992, p. 43.

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