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Australian Wildlife

  Tobacco Looper (Chrysodeixis argentifera)





Tobacco Looper | Chrysodeixis argentifera photo
The Tobacco Looper is an agricultural pest

Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.







TOBACCO LOOPER FACTS

Identification
The Tobacco Looper adult moth is mainly brown, with a tuft of hairs on its head There is a silvery pattern on the forewings and a small letter-S shape. Some adults had grey patches on the forewings. The hind wings are light brown, darker at the end. It rests with its wings in a steep roof shape. The caterpillars are green with a dark green line along the back, bordered by paler stripes, and also white lines on the sides. The pupa develops inside a white silky cocoon on the underside of a leaf and covered with debris.

Size
wingspan 3cm. Caterpillar length 4cm

Food
The caterpillar is an agricultural pest and attacks Sunflowers, Canola, Silver Beet, Beans, Tomato. Thy also feed on various garden plants.

Breeding
White spherical eggs are laid separately on leaves of a food plant.

Range
found throughout most of Australia



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Noctuidae
Genus:Chrysodeixis
Species:argentifera
Common Name:Tobacco Looper