Caterpillar of the Four-spotted Cup Moth

I discovered these interesting and colourful caterpillars while collecting eucalyptus leaf for Koala fodder just up the road from our patch.  The caterpillars were around 2cm long and were beautifully patterned and coloured, matching the eucalyptus tereticornis leaves perfectly.  It has taken me a little while to get the correct identification but know now that they are the caterpillars of the Four-spotted Cup Moth (Doratifera quadriguttata). As per usual pretty caterpillars, the moth itself is a rather dull colour.  More info on this moth here...

J.G.


The patterned skin is raised into four knobs on the thorax.  Red Stinging Hairs are protruded from these when the Caterpillar is disturbed (SEE ABOVE).


INFORMATON SOURCE:  lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au & brisbaneinsects.com

LINKING WITH I HEART MACRO - 09/07/14

Comments

  1. Judith

    Why ate you collecting Koala fodder? Is this just supplementing food for the passing hordes or ....?

    Your other recent posts are magic, inspiring me to think about getting a trap like yours to see what we have around. (I suspect House Mouse and Brown Rat are all!)

    Martin

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    Replies
    1. Hi Martin, Once a week I volunteer with a local expert Koala Carer, and of late there has been quite a lot of koalas in care due to either dog attacks, being hit by cars or disease and they eat a huge amount of leaf, so when I can, I go and collect it. I am still learning the eucalyptus species. We do have koalas come and go on our block so many of the trees in our area are the right ones for koalas, they are fussy little things and only like a few local species however :)

      With regards to the trap, I bought this one from a stall in a shopping centre and it has been fantastic. It is big enough to fit a rat also which is good. I am always worried about the other traps and killing a native animal instead of a house mouse, so this was a great alternative. At times, when we have had birds in rehabilitation it is good to catch fresh mice for their food, so using this type of trap is good, that way I can see what we have caught and let go anything native. You may be surprised, as we were what you might get in the trap!

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