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Bag-worm Moth

Saunders' Case Moth or Large Bagworm (Metura elongatus)

Description:

Is a moth of the Psychidae family. It is known from the eastern half of Australia , including Tasmania. The wingspan is about 30 mm for males. Adult males have black wings, a orange hairy head and a black and orange banded abdomen. Female adults have no wings and remain in the larval case. They are white with a brown head and reach a length of about 30 mm. [2] The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including Conyza bonariensis, Cupressus, Epacris, Dianella brevipedunculata, Acacia dealbata, Eucalyptus, Pinus and Cotoneaster species. They create a silken shelter, which is initially covered with bits of leaf, but later also with short twigs. They live and pupate within this shelter. When threatened, they temporarily seal the front opening of the case until the danger is past.

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3 Comments

Jimena
Jimena 12 years ago

Spectacular!!!! thanks for sharing your knowledge about it. We found it actually hanging on in a wall and yep the silk is very powerful!. Amazing

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

These are a serious pest round here because the silk they use to attach the case to trees is so strong it girdles the branch as it grows & causes it ti die back. I pick them off & drop them on the grass & they are snapped up by the robins!

chrisharvey44s
chrisharvey44s 12 years ago

Bagmoth the female never actually becomes a moth she remains incased in her bag hanging from branches or anything that will do as a replacement. We saw one attached to a letter box once they are all sizes. you could mistake it for a bird pellet.

Jimena
Spotted by
Jimena

3000, Victoria, Australia

Spotted on Sep 30, 2011
Submitted on Sep 30, 2011

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