Conoeca or Lepidoscia (genera) IMMATURE

Unidentified Cone Case Moth larva, pupa, or case at O'Connor, ACT

Conoeca or Lepidoscia (genera) IMMATURE at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Dec 2020
Request use of media

Identification history

Lepidoscia (genus) CONE CASE 26 May 2022 donhe
Lepidoscia (genus) CONE CASE 26 May 2022 ibaird
Conoeca or Lepidoscia (genera) IMMATURE 2 Dec 2020 ibaird
Unidentified 2 Dec 2020 ConBoekel

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

The ant made repeated attempts at pulling open the case. It concentrated at the head end but tried different locations on the case. The casemoth did three things in response: (1) nothing, (2) little runs up the twig when the ant was distracted, and (3) bursts of three rapid shakes to try and throw off the ant. There were numerous other Irido ants in the vicinity and the would-be predator interacted with them but they seemed to be more focused on harvesting the leaf hoppers.

1 comment

donhe wrote:
   2 Dec 2020
Thanks for the fascinating observations. To get a secure identification, you need to take it into captivity, and rear it to get an adult moth. Failing that, we can only conjecture. The long conical shape covered in bands of finely chewed vegetation, has been identified as characteristic of some Lepidoscia species, and a conical case with one or more long sticks attached, like this sighting 4360221, has been noted before at CNM sighting 3388047.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Nearby sightings

Page 3 of 3 - image sightings only

Macrotona australis (Common Macrotona Grasshopper) at O'Connor, ACT - 18 Dec 2020 by ConBoekel
Solanum cinereum (Narrawa Burr) at O'Connor, ACT - 11 Dec 2020 by ConBoekel
Tiphiidae (family) (Unidentified Smooth flower wasp) at O'Connor, ACT - 11 Dec 2020 by ConBoekel
Helicoverpa (genus) (A bollworm) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Phalaris aquatica (Phalaris, Australian Canary Grass) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Araneinae (subfamily) (Orb weaver) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Clania lewinii & similar Casemoths (Parallel stick Case Moths) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Eurymeloides pulchra (Gumtree hopper) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Coccoidea (superfamily) (Mealy bug or scale insect) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Harmonia conformis (Common Spotted Ladybird) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Myopsalta waterhousei (Smoky Buzzer) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Hortophora sp. (genus) (Garden orb weaver) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Eriococcidae sp. on Eucalyptus blakelyi (Felted scale on Eucalyptus blakelyi) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Macrotona australis (Common Macrotona Grasshopper) at O'Connor, ACT - 30 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Iridomyrmex purpureus (Meat Ant) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Cymbacha sp (genus) (A crab spider) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Camponotus consobrinus (Banded sugar ant) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Chrysolina quadrigemina (Greater St Johns Wort beetle) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa (Yellow-rumped Thornbill) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Cerdistus varifemoratus (Robber fly) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Macrobathra desmotoma ( A Cosmet moth) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Pieris rapae (Cabbage White) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Leptotarsus (Macromastix) costalis (Common Brown Crane Fly) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Verbascum virgatum (Green Mullein) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca (Mexican Poppy, Prickly Poppy) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Eurymela fenestrata (Gum tree leafhopper) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Juncus vaginatus (Clustered Rush) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Paspalum dilatatum (Paspalum) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Phaulacridium vittatum (Wingless Grasshopper) at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Brachydeutera sydneyensis (Shore fly) at O'Connor, ACT - 18 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Oryctolagus cuniculus (European Rabbit) at O'Connor, ACT - 18 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Juncus bufonius (Toad Rush) at O'Connor, ACT - 18 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Euphorbia dallachyana (Mat Spurge, Caustic Weed) at O'Connor, ACT - 13 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Silybum marianum (Variegated Thistle) at O'Connor, ACT - 13 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Myopsalta waterhousei (Smoky Buzzer) at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Euchiton involucratus (Star Cudweed) at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Einadia nutans (Climbing Saltbush) at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Briza minor (Shivery Grass) at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Oenothera stricta subsp. stricta (Common Evening Primrose) at O'Connor, ACT - 1 Nov 2020 by ConBoekel
Macropus giganteus (Eastern Grey Kangaroo) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Austrostipa densiflora (Foxtail Speargrass) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Crassula sieberiana (Austral Stonecrop) at O'Connor, ACT - 29 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Gonocarpus tetragynus (Common Raspwort) at O'Connor, ACT - 25 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Pimelea curviflora (Curved Rice-flower) at O'Connor, ACT - 25 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Malurus cyaneus (Superb Fairywren) at O'Connor, ACT - 20 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Hypericum perforatum (St John's Wort) at O'Connor, ACT - 20 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Scopula rubraria (Reddish Wave, Plantain Moth) at O'Connor, ACT - 15 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Zizina otis (Common Grass-Blue) at O'Connor, ACT - 15 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Scopula rubraria (Reddish Wave, Plantain Moth) at O'Connor, ACT - 15 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Lomandra multiflora (Many-flowered Matrush) at O'Connor, ACT - 15 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Cassinia quinquefaria (Rosemary Cassinia) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Exocarpos cupressiformis (Cherry Ballart) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Acacia boormanii (Snowy River Wattle) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Junonia villida (Meadow Argus) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Bulbine bulbosa (Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Cheilanthes sieberi (Rock Fern) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Cryptandra amara (Bitter Cryptandra) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Acacia genistifolia (Early Wattle) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Dillwynia phylicoides (A Parrot-pea) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Grevillea alpina (Mountain Grevillea / Cat's Claws Grevillea) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Cheilanthes sieberi (Rock Fern) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Hardenbergia violacea (False Sarsaparilla) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Acacia buxifolia subsp. buxifolia (Box-leaf Wattle) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Cheilanthes sieberi (Rock Fern) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Gonocarpus tetragynus (Common Raspwort) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Ocyphaps lophotes (Crested Pigeon) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Chenonetta jubata (Australian Wood Duck) at O'Connor, ACT - 2 Oct 2020 by ConBoekel
Gnaphosidae (family) (Ground spider) at O'Connor, ACT - 22 Sep 2020 by tpreston
Polyxenida (order) (Pin-cushion Millipede) at O'Connor, ACT - 22 Sep 2020 by trevorpreston

1  2  3 

Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 Abundance
  • 1 Dec 2020 09:23 AM Recorded on
  • ConBoekel Recorded by

Additional information

  • Iridomyrmex purpureus Associated Insect
  • 25mm to 50mm Animal size

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
1,890,055 sightings of 20,975 species in 9,252 locations from 12,827 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.