Aglaosoma variegata
Encyclopedia
Aglaosoma variegata is a species of moth
of the Thaumetopoeidae
family. It is known from New South Wales
, Queensland
and Victoria
.
Adults have forewings with a striking pattern of cream and dark brown. The hindwings are cream with brown spots along the margin.
The larvae feed on various plants, including Acacia longifolia
and Banksia ericifolia
. They are pale grey and hairy, with a set of brown dorsal lumps and rows of blue spots. The hairs are brown with pale tips. The head is pale brown. Pupation takes place in a cocoon in the ground litter.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Thaumetopoeidae
Thaumetopoeidae
Thaumetopoeidae is a small family of moths in the order Lepidoptera. The genera in this family have been historically treated as a subfamily within Notodontidae instead....
family. It is known from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Adults have forewings with a striking pattern of cream and dark brown. The hindwings are cream with brown spots along the margin.
The larvae feed on various plants, including Acacia longifolia
Acacia longifolia
Acacia longifolia is a species of Acacia native to southeastern Australia, from the extreme southeast of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, eastern and southern Victoria, and southeastern South Australia. Common names for it include Acacia Trinervis, Aroma Doble, Golden Wattle, Coast Wattle,...
and Banksia ericifolia
Banksia ericifolia
Banksia ericifolia, the Heath-leaved Banksia , is a species of woody shrub of the Proteaceae family native to Australia. It grows in two separate regions of Central and Northern New South Wales east of the Great Dividing Range...
. They are pale grey and hairy, with a set of brown dorsal lumps and rows of blue spots. The hairs are brown with pale tips. The head is pale brown. Pupation takes place in a cocoon in the ground litter.