Kingdom Animalia Family Uraniidae Phylum Arthropoda Rank Species | Class Insecta Subfamily Epipleminae Genus Phazaca Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Butterflies and moths, Eurrhyparodes tricoloralis, Sameodes cancellalis, Polydesma umbricola, Callopistria maillardi | ||
The Cotton leaf roller, (Phazaca theclata), is a moth of the family Uraniidae. It is known from Africa south of the Sahara, from Saudi Arabia, as well as from India, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Description
Its wingspan is around 17-22 mm. Hind wings of male with slight tails at veins 4 and 7, and the venation normal. In males, antennae and vertex of head whitish. Head and thorax violaceous grey. Abdomen ochreous, except at base. Fore wings violaceous grey. A large triangular patch outlined with double brown line on the costa beyond the middle. There is a similar oval spot with darker center on inner margin. There is a series of marginal fuscous lunules. Hind wings with the basal half violaceous grey, which is darkest at inner margin. The outer half pale ochreous brown, the two areas defined by a rufous and pale line. There is a series of marginal fuscous lunules. Female has same violacous abdomen and hind wings as the ground color.
Larvae feeds on Verbenaceae species, including Stachytarpheta urticifolia and plants like Adina cordifolia, Burttdavya nyasica, Morinda sp., Randia dumetorum, Tectona grandis.