Moths
 
Case Moths &
Leaf-miners 
PSYCHIDAE
Case Moths 
BUCCULATRICIDAE
Scribbly Gum Moth 
GRACILLARIIDAE
Leaf Miners
 
Concealer Moths &
Leafrollers
OECOPHORIDAE
Concealer Moths
XYLORYCTIDAE
Timber Moths
BLASTOBASIDAE
Small Grey Moth
COSMOPTERIGIDAE
GELECHIIDAE
LECITHOCERIDAE 
 
Day Flying Moths
COSSIDAE
Goat Moth
TORTRICIDAE
Leafrollers
CASTNIIDAE
Sun Moths
CHOREUTIDAE
Metalmark Moths
ZYGAENIDAE
Forester Moths 
LIMACODIDAE
Cup Moths
 
Pyralid Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE
Plume Moths
HYBLAEIDAE 
Teak Moths
CRAMBIDAE
Pyralid Moths
Pyralid Moths
  
Looper Moths
GEOMETRIDAE
 
Anthelid Moths
EUPTEROTIDAE
Bag-shelter Moths
 
NOCTUOIDEA
Notodontidae 
Prominents Moths
LYMANTRIIDAE 
Tussock Moths
ARCTIIDAE
Tiger Moths
AGANAIDAE
Tiger Moths
NOCTUIDAE
Owl Moths 
 
 

                                               

Pyralid Moths - Family Pyralidae

This page contains pictures and information about Pyralid Moths that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
 
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Pyralid Caterpillar makes retreat on leaf 
 
Family PYRALIDAE was recently split into CRAMBIDAE and PYRALIDAE.  In general, Moths in this two families rest with wings in triangular shape and put the first pair of long legs in front, the two antennae pass top of their head and pointed backwards. They are small to medium in size and have relatively long legs.
 
Pyralid caterpillars have many different types of habits. Most are concealed feeder, living in lives tied with silk, in silken webs or in leaf cases jointed by silk. Some bore in stems or fruits while some live in plant materials on ground or in soil.
 

 
Bird-dropping Pyralid Moth
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Orthaga seminivea, subfamily Epipaschiinae, length 25mm 
Pictures taken outside our house during mid summer. This moth is black and white in colours, mimics bird-dropping. The Caterpillars live in a shelter of host plant leaves joined by silk. Check this page for more information.
 
 
Pyralid Caterpillar makes retreat on leaf
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Salma pyrastis, subfamily Epipaschiinae, length 30mm 
Caterpillar pictures were taken in Karawatha Forest during mid summer 2005. The moth is brown in colour with yellow patterns on hind wings. In the second photo, the caterpillar was running very fast that we could not even take a better photo before it climbed to the tree top. 
Reference:
1. Salma pyrastis larva - lifeunseen.com by Nick Monaghan, 2005.
2. Salma pyrastis (Meyrick, 1887) - Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2006.  
 
 
Pyralid Moth
DSCN9529.JPG (65788 bytes) 
Endotricha ignealis, subfamily Endotrichinae
Picture taken on Sep 2005. 
Endotricha ignealis (Guenee, 1854) - Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 20086.
 

Reference:
1. Moths - family Pyralidae - lifeunseen.com by Nick Monaghan.
2. A Guide to Australian Moths - Paul Zborowski, Ted Edwards, CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2007, p127. 
3. Moths of Australia - I. F. B. Common, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p343.
4. PYRALIDAE in Australia - Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley 

 

Up ] Case Moths ] Scribbly Gum Moth ] Leaf Miners ] Concealer Moths ] Wood Moth, Goat Moth ] Leaf Rollers ] Sun Moths ] Metalmark Moths ] Forester Moths ] [ Pyralid Moths ] Crambid Moths ] Snout Moths ] Anthelid Moths ] Hawk Moths ] Unknown Moths ] Unknown Caterpillars ]

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Last updated: May 06, 2009.