Autumn Gum Moth

Description:

About 22mm long; a rear-up, tented posture (pic 2), mottled orange and pink on upper surface of wings; antennae orange, narrow, simple, held below wings.

Habitat:

This one was found just after dusk attracted by bright light.

Notes:

Apparently regarded by humans as a pest to eucalyptus species (I'm sure the gums learned to live with it over the past few hundred million years) . Found throughout most of southern Australia. Early instars of the Caterpillar are light green with dark markings and brown heads and later they become dark grey-green. All stages have a pair of yellow knobs on the second abdominal segment... Thanks martinl for ID. Other records http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Mnesampela...