Oxyodes tricolor

Oxyodes tricolor Guenee, 1852
CATOCALINAE , NOCTUIDAE

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

(updated 2 March 2009)

Oxyodes tricolor
(Photo: courtesy of John Anderson, near Kuranda, Queensland)

The caterpillars of this species are black with a black head, have orange-yellow prolegs and claspers, and have a dorsal white spot near the tail.

They eat the young leaves of various fruit trees, and are pests on :

Lychee ( Litchi chinensis, SAPINDACEAE ),

Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum, SAPINDACEAE ),

Tamarillo ( Cyphomandra betacea, SOLANACEAE ), and

Cocoa ( Theobroma cacao, STERCULIACEAE ).

The adult moths of this species are a blotchy brown with a varied pattern. Often there is a white line across each forewing. Often each forewing has a white spot outlined in black.

The hind wings are half black and half yellow, The moths have a wingspan of about 4 cms.

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

The species is found mainly in coastal areas of Queensland.

Control is possible using :

a spray of wettable sulphur, dipel and fish emulsion.