Anomis flava

Anomis flava (Fabricius, 1775)
(one synonym : Cosmophila aurantiaca)
Cotton Looper
CATOCALINAE , NOCTUIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 14 August 2008)

early instar

This Caterpillar is long and green, with yellowish bands between segments. It is missing one pair of prolegs, so it moves like a looper, although not related to the true loopers in GEOMETRIDAE.

late instar
(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The Caterpillar is often found in Sydney on:

Hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ),

and is a pest on :

Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus ), and

Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ), all of MALVACEAE.

It grows to a length of about 4 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The Caterpillar pupates in a sparse cocoon in a curled up leaf.

(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The adult moth is brown with gold patches on the forewings.

The eggs are green and flattened. They are laid on the undersides of leaves of a foodplant beside the veins.

The species occurs around most of the world including :

China,

Hawaii,

São Tomé and Principe,

Society Island,

Thailand, and

the northern two-thirds of Australia.