Thaumetopoeinae (subfamily)
Bag-shelter Moths, Processionary Caterpillars at Franklin, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Thaumetopoeinae (subfamily) | donhe | 9 Aug 2020 | |
| Thaumetopoeinae (subfamily) | ibaird | 8 Aug 2020 | |
| Noctuidae (family) | MichaelMulvaney | 8 Aug 2020 | |
| Trichiocercus sparshalli | donhe | 10 Jul 2020 | |
| Unverified | AlisonMilton | 10 Jul 2020 |
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5 comments
10 Jul 2020
Could be Trichiocercus sparshalli.
Which end is the head?
Any chance of a lateral view?
Which end is the head?
Any chance of a lateral view?
10 Jul 2020
I think you are probably right. I think the head was at the top but it wasn't moving. Not in a good position to get a lateral view but looking at other photos it doesn't look like you could see the legs anyway.
10 Jul 2020
I really wanted to see if it had the inter-segmental and head and tail tussocks. You only have to put a leaf in front of it and tickle its bum to get it to walk onto it, to get it into a better position for a lateral photo. Unlike identifying moths, identifying caterpillars is not a passive activity.
8 Aug 2020
No Noctuidae larvae are that hairy, see
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/noctuidae/noctuidae-cats.html
The pattern of tufts is characteristic of Thaumetopoeinae, and their colour is characteristic of Trichiocercus sparshalli.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.137060-35.202333
- Altitude 619.3m
- Maps Gungaderra Creek Ponds
- Places Franklin, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 6 Jul 2020 12:17 PM Recorded on
- AlisonMilton Recorded by
- 12mm to 25mm Animal size
- Larvae Breeding behaviour
Collections
- Insects Moths (Lepidoptera) Noctuoid moths (except Arctiinae) AlisonMilton Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Thaumetopoeinae (subfamily)
Species information
- Thaumetopoeinae (subfamily) Scientific name
- Bag-shelter Moths, Processionary Caterpillars Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 694m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- GPS evidence of location
- Additional attributes
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description