Lichen moth Click to enlarge image
Lichen moth (Arctiidae: Lithosiinae) Yellow-banded Footman, Castulo plagiata - male Image: David Britton
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Castulo
    Species
    plagiata
    Subfamily
    Lithosiinae
    Family
    Arctiidae
    Super Family
    Noctuoidea
    Order
    Lepidoptera
    Class
    Insecta
    Phylum
    Arthropoda
    Kingdom
    Animalia

Introduction

This species occurs only at altitudes above 1,000m in SE Australia, and is usually associated with snow gum. The female is not known.

Identification

Males are similar to Castulo doubledayi, but have additional and variable orange markings on the forewings. Females may be flightless, with reduced or no wings. This condition has evolved independenly in other Australian lichen moths.

Habitat

Snow gum forests



Seasonality

Adults fly from late summer to autumn (late February to April)

Feeding and diet

larvae probably feed on lichens