Metura elongatus
Encyclopedia
Saunders' Case Moth or Large Bagworm (Metura elongatus) is a moth
of the Psychidae family. It is known from the eastern half of Australia
, including Tasmania
.
The wingspan
is about 30 mm for males. Adult males have black wings, a orange hairy head and a black and orange banded abdomen. Female adults have no wings and remain in the larval case. They are white with a brown head and reach a length of about 30 mm.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including Conyza bonariensis
, Cupressus
, Epacris
, Dianella brevipedunculata, Acacia dealbata
, Eucalyptus
, Pinus and Cotoneaster
species. They create a silken shelter, which is initially covered with bits of leaf, but later also with short twigs. They live and pupate within this shelter. When threatened, they temporarily seal the front opening of the case until the danger is past.
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 Psychidae family. It is known from the eastern half of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, including Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 30 mm for males. Adult males have black wings, a orange hairy head and a black and orange banded abdomen. Female adults have no wings and remain in the larval case. They are white with a brown head and reach a length of about 30 mm.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including Conyza bonariensis
Conyza bonariensis
Conyza bonariensis is a species of Conyza, found throughout the tropics and subtropics as a weed; its precise native origin is unknown, but most likely Central America or South America...
, Cupressus
Cupressus
The genus Cupressus is one of several genera within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group...
, Epacris
Epacris
Epacris is a genus of about 35-40 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, though formerly often treated in a separate family Epacridaceae. The genus is native to eastern and southeastern Australia , New Caledonia and New Zealand...
, Dianella brevipedunculata, Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory.-Description:...
, Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
, Pinus and Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is a genus of woody plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to the Palaearctic region , with a strong concentration of diversity in the genus in the mountains of southwestern China and the Himalayas...
species. They create a silken shelter, which is initially covered with bits of leaf, but later also with short twigs. They live and pupate within this shelter. When threatened, they temporarily seal the front opening of the case until the danger is past.