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Australian Wildlife

  She-Oak Moth (Pernattia pusilla)





She-Oak Moth | Pernattia pusilla photo
Pernattia pusilla, female, Aranda, Australian Capital Territory

Image by Donald Hobern - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)







SHE-OAK MOTH FACTS

Identification
The She-Oak Moth is found around Casuarina trees in eastern Australia. Male and female moths differ in appearance. The male moth forewings are irregularly banded in different shades of brown and greyish brown. The hindwings are paler grey brown. Females are duller with forewings and hindwings a similar greyish brown colour. The caterpillars grows to about 3 cm long, and are orange-brown with white and black hairs. The cocoon is brownish and is attached to leaves on the food plant.

Size
wingspan about 3 cm

Habitat
bushland or woodland with suitable She-Oak food trees

Food
the caterpillars feed on She-Oak tree species (Casuarina and Allocasuarina species).

Breeding
The white eggs are laid on leaf of food tree, and hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars fed on the food tree and pupate into cocoons attached to twigs or leaves of the tree.

Range
Pernattia pusilla is found in eastern Australia from Queensland to Tasmania



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Lasiocampidae
Genus:Pernattia
Species:pusilla
Common Name:She-Oak Moth