Omnivorous Tussock Moth
S1, Larva, head
Ellura
Omnivorous Tussock Moth
S2, Larva, perspective
 
                      
Omnivorous Tussock Moth (Acyphas semiochrea)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera)
Family: Tiger Moth (:Noctuoidea Erebidae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Omnivorous Tussock Moth (Acyphas semiochrea)
This Photo:     S1, Larva, profile

Thank you Anthony Paul & Prof Victor W Fazio III† for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA), the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere
Males were ~10-11mm long, ~28-30mm wingspan. Larvae ~20mm long b4 pupating.
These seem to be a species complex as they are so highly variable. Some adults have a dark spot on their forewings which is an easier characteristic to id them, but we've not seen it on the few we've have photographed. Notice many others have black antennae. Ours are always pale/brown.
We found S8, larva, on Acacia sclerophylla var sclerophylla.
We raised S6 (on Acacia myrtifolia in Lobethal), which turned out to be a male, and show the progress here; linking larva/caterpillar to pupa to adult.
The caterpillars get a grey fungal growth like appearance on them. This turns out to be hair like scales that matt over each other. This is clearly visible in the "3 day" image.
Also note the larva have 2 red tubercle structures near their rear end. These are sack like and enlarge when they feel threatened.
One assumes the fungal appearance & orange & red colours suggest to predators they are not good prey.

Copyright © 2012-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 14-Dec-2012
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.