Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 27 April 2008)
(Picture: courtesy of D.A. McLaren,
Keith Turnbull Research Institute, Frankston, Victoria)
The first instars of these Caterpillars are yellow with a black head. Later, they become more brightly coloured with black and yellow bands. They feed initially on the leaves, but as the foodplant matures, they move onto the flowers. The species has been introduced deliberately into Australia from England several times since 1930, to control the weed:
They were similarly introduced into New Zealand.
When fully grown, the Caterpillars go walkabout, and pupate some distance from the foodplant in crevice or sheltered spot.
The adult moth is shiny black with a red line along the costa and two red spots on each forewing, and has red hindwings. It has a wingspan of about 3 cms.
The moths appear to be reluctant fliers, just moving on a metre or so when disturbed. Components of the pheromones have been determined.
Eggs are spherical, yellow when first laid, but becoming darker later. They are laid in groups of about 50, usually on the underside of leaves of a foodplant.
Further reading :
David Carter,
Butterflies and Moths,
Collins Eyewitness Handbooks, Sydney 1992, p. 282.
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