Calcarifera ordinata

Calcarifera ordinata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Limacodidae
Genus: Calcarifera
Species: C. ordinata
Binomial name
Calcarifera ordinata
(Butler, 1886)
Synonyms
  • Doratiphora colligans

The Wattle Cup Caterpillar (Calcarifera ordinata) is a moth of the Limacodidae family. It is widespread in northern Australia, south to Geraldton, Alice Springs and Brisbane.

The wingspan is about 30 mm. Adults are creamy brown with lines of dots on the forewings. The hind wings are pale brown.

The larvae feed on the leaves of Acacia, Jacksonia scoparia, Phoenix canariensis, Leptosema aphyllum, Rosa odorata, Citrus sinensis and Atalaya hemiglauca. The caterpillar is bright yellow with blue green and orange colours. There are a number of tubercles around its body. They have reduced legs and move using a slug-like movement of the underside of the body.

The cocoon is formed on a leaf. It is spun out of silk in a small sphere, then covered in a liquid that sets like a tiny ball.

It has an extremely potent sting, described as being "worse than three wasp stings".

References

    External links


    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/19/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.