Initially, these Caterpillars are yellow with black heads.

closed shelter containing a caterpillar

Later, they become pale grey with black stripes along the back and each side, and yellow ends containing black spots. The Caterpillars are very clever: they cut a circular piece of leaf from their food plant with a diameter of about 1 cm. They hinge it over and attach it to the rest of the leaf, and then live hidden in this shelter.

the lid of the shelter opened,
with caterpillar holding onto the lid

As the Caterpillar grows, it gives up this shelter, and makes a simpler one by curling a leaf over. The Caterpillars have been known to feed on the foliage of many trees, including:

Kurrajong ( Brachychiton populneus, STERCULIACEAE ).

rolled leaf shelter containing the pupa

The Caterpillar pupates in its rolled leaf shelter.

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

The adult butterflies are brown, with pale yellow markings on the wings. They are unusual in having a natural resting position in which they hold the wings flat to the surface, like the adults of many moth species in GEOMETRIDAE. They have a wingspan of about 5 cms.

This species occurs most of the eastern half of Australia as two subspecies :

repanda in the rest of the east coast, including New South Wales, and Victoria.

(Photo: courtesy of Dave Britton)

---

Further reading :

Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp 70-71.

---

previous caterpillar

Australian butterflies

Australian caterpillars

Australian moths

next caterpillar