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EMPEROR GUM MOTH FACTS |
Identification
The Emperor Gum Moth is a striking native Australian moth. The moth is variable in colour, and may be reddish brown, brown or greyish brown. Their is a small eye spot on the forewings and large reddish orange eye spot with black border on each hindwing. Both forewings and hindwings have a narrow darker band about three quarters of the way out that runs parallel to the outer wing edge. the antennae are feathery. The caterpillars have lumps on their bodies called tubercles, with hairs protruding from the tubercles. Young caterpillars are quite dark, but when fully grown the caterpillars are greenish blue with yellow or cream stripe.
Size
wingspan 12 cm to 15 cm
Habitat
found on eucalypts and other plants such as Harpulllia
Food
Caterpillars feed on gum leaves, and are found in spring and summers from October to March. Adult moths do not feed.
Breeding
The eggs are oval and creamy coloured, and hatch in spring into caterpillars. The caterpillars [pupate into dark brown silk cocoon on a branch. The moth emerges the following years in spring or summer. The adults only survive for a few weeks.
Range
The Emperor Gum Moth is found in all states of Australia including Tasmania. It has also been introduced to New Zealand.
Classification
| Class: | Insecta | | Order: | Lepidoptera | | Family: | Saturniidae | | Genus: | Opodiphthera | | Species: | eucalypti | | Common Name: | Emperor Gum Moth |
Relatives in same Genus
Helena Gum Moth (O. helena)
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