Erebidae (family)

Unidentified immature Erebid moth at QPRC LGA

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Identification history

Erebidae (family)	27 Feb 2024	ibaird
Erebidae (family)	27 Feb 2024	donhe
Dasypodia cymatodes	27 Feb 2024	WendyEM
Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE moth	26 Feb 2024	donhe
Geometridae (family) IMMATURE	26 Feb 2024	Csteele4

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User's notes

Very big! Wonderful camouflage though.

7 comments

donhe wrote:

26 Feb 2024

Most Geometrid species larvae have reduced prolegs. This has a full set so could be any family. The black markings may be characteristic, but are not apparent on any of the 1,006 caterpillar species illustrated on LBH. I hope you can rear it to an adult and replace one of the larval photos with a photo of that in this sighting.

Csteele4 wrote:

26 Feb 2024

@donhe I wish I could, but unfortunately I just don't have the time at the moment, so we will never know! What a shame.

WendyEM wrote:

27 Feb 2024

Looks very similar to D. selenophora that I am very familiar with larvae of. I don't know D. cymatodes but See
https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/tools-and-resources/identification/what-is-this-bug/owl-moth-caterpillar/

WendyEM wrote:

27 Feb 2024

2 online refs say it feeds on Acacia sp. not Hardenbergia but that may be lack of data. Common 1990 is silent on this sp

Csteele4 wrote:

27 Feb 2024

@WendyEM thank you! I'll look into that genus. I found a koala munching on a radiata pine in Armidale last week, so who knows, maybe this caterpillar was equally confused. 😅

donhe wrote:

27 Feb 2024

Fabaceae and Mimosaceae are closely related, so probably both would be palatable to Dasypodia larvae, but I suspect the larvae of many of the 1,340 Australian named species in Erebidae look like this larva.

WendyEM wrote:

27 Feb 2024

Fair enough. I did miss the label on pic in NZ article. Could probably narrow it down to Erebinae with only 277 sp

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