Lichen Case Moth Larva (Cebysa leucotelus)
The larva of the Lichen Case Moth grows to about 20 mm in length. It lives in a silken bag covered with debris. The larva is head-down in the silken bag and feeds on lichen growing on wood or rocks. It s a fast mover but stays well camouflaged, melding int o the background. This larva was spotted in September about 6 months after which, both a female and male moth were seen in the same area.
The male and female moths can be seen here:
The Australian bagmoth or lichen bag moth is a moth of the Psychidae family. It is found in New Zealand and the southern half of Australia .
The larvae build a protective bag like the other bag moths in the family Psychidae, and feed on lichen and algae.
The adult female moth has black wings with yellow wingtips and patches, but they do not expand properly, so she is not able to fly. Females are often mistaken for beetles or wasps.
The male has a similar pattern.. more
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