What’s this funny insect?
Location: Sydney, Australia
April 13, 2011 7:03 am
This creature was on the wall the other day. I have never seen anything like it. Any idea what it is? Is it dangerous? The spike on the back looks a bit scary!
Signature: Carey
Bagworm Moth
Dear Carey,
Just a few days ago, we had another identification request for this flightless female moth from Australia, and it was identified as a Bagworm Moth, Cebysa leucotelus. Only the females are flightless. We suspect that is an ovipositor protruding from her abdomen.
Female Bagworm Moth
Dear Daniel,
Thank you for that! I hope she laid her eggs outside first.
Carey
unusual bug
Location: eastern suburbs Sydney
April 9, 2011 2:27 am
I came across this bug in my backyard 9/4/11. It’s about 8mm in body length.
Second image the next day after being kept under a glass. What looks like thousend of eggs!
Signature: Heinz57
Unknown Moth
Dear Heinz57,
This is a Moth, though we haven’t been able to come up with a conclusive identification. We also don’t know if her wings failed to expand after metamorphosis, or if this is a flightless species with vestigial wings. Many female Tussock Moths are flightless, and the markings on your specimen match those of Oligeria hemicalla pictured on the ButterflyHouse website, but we are unable to locate an image of a female moth. The Painted Apple Moth is an example of a Tussock Moth in the family Lymantriidae that has a wingless female. The photos on Wikipedia indicate that it is not your species, though the eggs look quite similar. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to supply an identification.
Unknown Moth lays eggs
Karl provides an identification
Unknown flightless moth lays eggs in Australia
Hi Daniel and Heinz57:
The looks like a female Australian Bagmoth, Cebysa leucotelus (Psychidae). It is native to southern Australia and has recently shown up in New Zealand. Apparently the larvae feed on lichens growing on tree trunks, rocks, etc. and the lichen fragments get incorporated into the larval cases, or ‘bags’. Only the females are flightless. Regards. Karl
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