Panacela lewinae
Encyclopedia
Lewin's Bag Shelter Moth (Panacela lewinae) is a moth
of the Eupterotidae
family. It is found from southern Queensland
to southern New South Wales
.
The wingspan
is about 30 mm.
The caterpillars live communally in a shelter on their food plant, made of leaves joined by silk. They spend the day in this shelter and come out to feed at night. They feed on Eucalyptus
, Lophostemon
, Angophora
and Syncarpia
(including Syncarpia glomulifera
) species, as well as Chamaecytisus prolifer, Pinus radiata and Exocarpus cupressiformis
.
The hairs of the caterpillars can cause skin irritation (Urticaria
).
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 Eupterotidae
Eupterotidae
Eupterotidae is a family of insects in the Lepidoptera order.-Diversity:The family consists of four subfamilies and the unplaced Ganissa group...
family. It is found from southern 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...
to southern 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...
.
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.
The caterpillars live communally in a shelter on their food plant, made of leaves joined by silk. They spend the day in this shelter and come out to feed at night. They feed on 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...
, Lophostemon
Lophostemon
Lophostemon is a genus of 4 species of evergreen tree in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. All four species are native to Australia, with one extending to New Guinea. The genus is a relatively recent creation; all 4 species were previously included in the related genus Tristania.The most well-known...
, Angophora
Angophora
Angophora is a genus of ten species of trees or large shrubs in the myrtle family , native to eastern Australia. It is closely related to Corymbia and Eucalyptus, and all three are often referred to as "eucalypts". The differences are that Angophora have opposite leaves rather than alternate, and...
and Syncarpia
Syncarpia
Syncarpia is a small genus of trees in the myrtle family . They are native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. They are unusual among the Myrtaceae in that the leaves are opposite rather than alternate as is the norm for the family.The species are commonly known as turpentine trees due...
(including Syncarpia glomulifera
Syncarpia glomulifera
Syncarpia glomulifera is a tree native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia, which can grow to more than 30 metres in height...
) species, as well as Chamaecytisus prolifer, Pinus radiata and Exocarpus cupressiformis
Exocarpus cupressiformis
Exocarpos cupressiformis, is an Australian endemic plant species commonly known as the native cherry or cherry ballart. The species is found in sclerophyll forest on the east coast of Australia. It is also commonly found in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.It is a small tree ,...
.
The hairs of the caterpillars can cause skin irritation (Urticaria
Urticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
).