Kingdom Animalia Order Lepidoptera Genus Chelepteryx Higher classification Chelepteryx | Phylum Arthropoda Family Anthelidae Scientific name Chelepteryx collesi Rank Species | |
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Similar Anthelidae, Chelepteryx chalepteryx, Anthela, Anthela nicothoe, Anthela ocellata | ||
The white stemmed gum moth (Chelepteryx collesi) is a species of moth of the family Anthelidae. It is found in Australasia.
The wingspan of the females can range up to 160 mm, males have a wingspan that ranges to ca. 140 mm.
The larvae feed on Myrtaceae species. They are also the largest caterpillars found in Australia growing to a length of 15cm and has many sharp urticating hairs. The hairs are sharp and very difficult to dislodge once embedded in the skin. The cocoons are also large and similarly protected by the larval stinging hairs.
References
Chelepteryx collesi Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA