Omnivorous Tussock Moth

Acyphas semiochrea

"Acyphas semiochrea", the omnivorous tussock moth, is a moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855. It is found along most of the coast of Australia, including: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
Omnivorous tussock moth - Acyphas semiochrea Acyphas,Acyphas semiochrea,Australia,Eamw caterpillars,Eamw moth,Encounter Bay SA,Geotagged,Summer

Appearance

The wingspan is about 30 mm. Adult females are white and have an orange tuft on the tail. Males are also white but sometimes have a dark mark at the tornus of each forewing or a broad dark band along the margin of each forewing. The hairs around the thorax are sometimes yellowish. Sometimes the black skin of the thorax and/or abdomen shows through between the white hairs.
Omnivorous Tussock - Acyphas semiochrea Observed feeding on Tamarix plant growing in coastal sand dunes. Acyphas,Acyphas semiochrea,Australia,Eamw moth,Geotagged,March 2023,Omnivorous Tussock Moth,Summer,Victor Harbor area

Food

It is considered a pest on "Pinus radiata", but has also been recorded feeding on "Acacia", "Eucalyptus", "Pultenaea", "Dodonaea", "Choretrum", "Myoporum" and "Tamarix". The caterpillars are brown and hairy, with a pencil of black hairs each side of its head and a hairy tail.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyErebidae
GenusAcyphas
SpeciesA. semiochrea
Photographed in
Australia