Apina callisto

Apina callisto (Angas, 1847)
(one synonym : Amazela calisto)
AGARISTINAE , NOCTUIDAE

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

(updated 2 May 2008)

Apina callisto
underside
(Specimen: courtesy of Ken Fairey)

This Caterpillar is dark grey with yellow mottling. A pair of yellow bands run along the back, and red rings occur intersegmentally. The legs are red, and there are red patches on the head. The body and head bear white spines.

Our specimens were found feeding on broad leaved herbaceous plants in a lawn at Narrabri, New South Wales. They have been reported feeding on:

Capeweed ( Arctotheca calendula, ASTERACEAE ), and

Storksbill ( Erodium species, GERANIACEAE ).

Sometimes, however, they are an agricultural pest on pastures in Australia.

In captivity, the Caterpillars burrowed and pupated underground. For Caterpillars collected in Narrabri in September, the adults emerged the following May.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The adult has a black thorax and orange abdomen ringed with black. The fore wings above are black with cream and reddish-brown markings. The hind wings are black with a white central area. Underneath, both wings are black a white central area surrounding black discal markings. The upper and under surfaces of both fore and hind wings have a submarginal arc of white dots. The moth is active during the day.

The species is found all over the southern half of Australia, including:

Victoria, and