The Caterpillar appears yellow, although it is actually brown, but it has a double row of yellow spots along its back, and smaller yellow spots and lines along its sides. It is covered by very fine delicate long white setae. It lacks the first pair of ventral prolegs. It grows to a length of about 2 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The Caterpillar spins a tough boat-shaped cocoon in which it pupates. It incorporates fragments of its surroundings into its cocoon, which assist with its strength and camouflage. Those pupating on a cement wall actually pried off bits of sand and cement, and covered their cocoons with them.

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

After about a month, the grey adult moth emerges It has a filigree pattern of dark lines on the wings.

(Photo: courtesy of Merlin Crossley)

The eggs are laid in neat rows on a leaf of a foodplant.

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

The species has a number of parasitoids which may be helpful in controling the pest. The species has recently appeared in New Zealand. The pest is suspected of thriving on plants fertilised with Nitrogen, which have leaves containing high amino-acid concentrations.

Further reading :

Pat and Mike Coupar, Flying Colours, New South Wales University Press, Sydney 1992, p. 77.

Janet D. Farr, Biology of the gumleaf skeletoniser, Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in the southern jarrah forest of Western Australia, Australian Journal of Entomology, Volume 41, Part 1 (January 2002), pp. 61-69.

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