Australian EPIPYROPIDAE

EPIPYROPIDAE of Australia
Planthopper Parasite Moths
ZYGAENOIDEA

EPIPYROPIDAE

caterpillar photo

EPIPYROPIDAE

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

The Caterpillars of this family are white and globular. They parasitise Hoppers (HEMIPTERA), such as Lantern Flies (FULGORIDAE) and Antipodean Hoppers (EURYBRACHIDAE). The tiny caterpillar, as soon as it hatches, has to find and latch onto a suitable host, on which it then feeds.

The adult moths are tiny, with a wingspan of about 7 mm.

The eggs are typically laid on dead grass. The female moths can lay viable eggs despite not being mated with a male.

The 5 named Australian species of EPIPYROPIDAE are included in:

Agamopsyche threnodes

EPIPYROPIDAE species