Page 543 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Erebidae
DISTRIBUTION Southern China, Chinese Taipei, Southeast Asia, the Philippines,
New Guinea, and northeastern Australia
HABITAT Lowland to montane forests and cultivated land

HOST PLANTS Many, including Mango (Mangifera indica), g (Ficus spp.),
Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis), Sal (Shorea robusta), Eucalyptus spp.,
and Brassica spp.
NOTE Vibrantly colored, hairy caterpillar that has a startling
defense strategy
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but very common

ADULT WINGSPAN
1 ⁄ –2⅜ in (40–60 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2 in (50 mm)
CALLITEARA HORSFIELDII
HORSFIELD’S TUSSOCK MOTH 541

(SAUNDERS, 1851)

Despite their striking, yellow hirsuteness, Calliteara hors eldii

caterpillars can remain remarkably inconspicuous on the
shaded underside of leaves. If disturbed, however, they arch
their thorax, exposing a contrasting pitch-black, intersegmental
membrane. This may be su ciently startling to deter a predator

or even give the impression of a vertebrate’s opening eye. The
species completes seven larval instars over a 50 to 60 day period
and then pupates within inverted hollows created between

silk-woven host plant leaves. A silken pad is rst laid, and then a
see-through but sturdy twin-layered cocoon incorporating the
lengthy hairs of the caterpillar is constructed. The pupal period
lasts 9 to 14 days. The Hors eld’s Tussock Moth caterpillar is

pearly white beneath its almost uorescent
yellow coat of lengthy secondary setae. There
The extreme polyphagy of this species of tussock moth larva, are four dense tussocks on the dorsum of the
currently encompassing around 50 host plant genera across rst four abdominal segments and a longer
brush of hairs on the rear. Between the rst
30 families and including species of economic significance, and second abdominal segments (equating
to the rst two dorsal tussocks) is the usually
re ects an impressive capacity to adapt to its environment and concealed or partially concealed black,

add to its geographic distribution. The adult male moths are intersegmental membrane.
dimorphic, as are the genders; the females are paler and larger.
Typical of the non-feeding Lymantriine tribe of moths, the
adults live for only four to eight days.

Actual size