CRAMBIDAE of Australia (Webworms and Shoot Borers) PYRALOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

CRAMBIDAE eggs

CRAMBIDAE caterpillars

CRAMBIDAE pupa

CRAMBIDAE moths

CRAMBIDAE undersides

The 743 named and described species in CRAMBIDAE in Australia are here divided up and listed in their 14 subfamilies :-

ACENTROPINAE 47 species	CRAMBINAE 125 species	CYBALOMIINAE 12 species	EVERGESTINAE 3 species	GLAPHYRIINAE 2 species
MIDILINAE 7 species	MUSOTIMINAE 13 species	NOORDINAE 1 species	ODONTIINAE 26 species	PYRAUSTINAE 44 species

SCHOENOBIINAE 21 species

SCOPARIINAE 91 species

SPILOMELINAE 348 species

WURTHIINAE 1 species

The CRAMBIDAE were originally included in the family PYRALIDAE, and were first separated out as a distinct group by Munroe in 1972 based on the presence or absence of an organ called the praecinctorium, which when present is a bilobed flimsy structure lying on the mid-line between medially fused tympanic bullae. When absent, the tympanic bullae are quite clearly separated. The former are the Crambiformes, the latter the Pyraliformes. Later, the separate groups were elevated to family status, particularly by Hennig.

The Caterpillars of CRAMBIDAE are very varied in their habits. They are basically a group of concealed feeders, but they also include parasites and aquatic forms.

A key to the caterpillars of pest species in this family has been published.

Aquatic caterpillars, probably from the subfamily ACENTROPINAE
(Photos: from The Waterbug Book, courtesy of Edward Tsyrlin and John Gooderham, Butterfly Adventures, Melbourne)

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(updated 31 May 2014, 11 March 2023)