Dappula tertius (Templeton, 1847)
(one synonym is Oiketicus ulias Lower, 1899)
OIKETICINAE,   PSYCHIDAE,   TINEOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


drawing by Robert Templeton, listed as Oiketicus tertius
,
Description of some species of the lepidopterous genus Oiketicus from Ceylon,
Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, Plate V, fig. 2,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The Caterpillars of this species have a cigar-shaped case covered in finely chewed bits of vegetation. The caterpillars are a minor pest on

  • Soursop ( Annona muricata, ANNONACEAE ),
  • Coconut ( Cocos nucifera, ARECACEAE ),and
  • Coffee ( Coffea arabica, RUBIACEAE )
  • Pomelo ( Citrus maxima, RUTACEAE ).


        
    The caterpillar anchors its case at both ends to pupate.


    drawings by Robert Templeton,
    listed as Oiketicus tertius,
    Description of some species of the
    lepidopterous genus Oiketicus from Ceylon,
    Transactions of the Entomological Society of London,
    Plate V, figs. 3 & 5,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library,
    digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.


    (Photo: courtesy of Thomas Sobczyk)


    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The wings of the male adult moth are a translucent dark grey, with forewings having two black central patches. The hindwings have nearly straight margins. The wingspan is about 4 cms.


    drawing by Robert Templeton, listed as Oiketicus tertius
    ,
    Description of some species of the lepidopterous genus Oiketicus from Ceylon,
    Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, Plate V, fig. 1,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

    The species has been found across south-east Asia, including

  • New Guinea,
  • Solomons,
  • Sri Lanka,

    as well as in Australia in

  • Queensland.


    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)


    Further reading :

    Oswald B. Lower,
    Descriptions of new Australian Lepidoptera,
    Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
    Volume 24 (1899), p. 83.

    Robert Templeton,
    Description of some species of the lepidopterous genus Oiketicus from Ceylon,
    Transactions of the Entomological Society of London,
    Volume 5 (1847) p. 39, and also Plate 5, figs. 1-5.


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    (written 24 January 2019, updated 28 February 2022)