Transverse Moth - Xanthodes transversa
Family Noctuidae
This page contains pictures and information about Transverse Moths that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Moth wingspan 30mm
- The adult Transverse Moth is yellow in colour, with three brown arrow-shaped lines across each forewing. The back edges of the forewings are dark brown in colour.
- We sometimes find this Transverse Moths caterpillars on Hibiscus plants in our backyard. When small, the caterpillars are light green in colour. Later they develop yellow bands and black spots. There is the red spot at the end tip which may mislead the predator it is its head.
- Caterpillar length 50mm
- We wanted to known what is the adult moth look like. We found the caterpillar on the Hibiscus plant and keep it in a jar. We fed the caterpillar with fresh Hibiscus leaves every day. A few days later, the caterpillar pupated on the bottom of the jar among the plant materials. Two weeks later the adult moth came out.
- Moth wingspan 30mm
- We opened the jar and put it in our backyard. The moths fly away during the night.
- Reference:
- 1. Moths of Australia - I. F. B. Common, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p457, Fig48.1.
- 2. Xanthodes transversa Guenee, 1852 - Australian Caterpillars, by Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2006.
