It’s early autumn here in the Grampians in western Victoria which means that it is peak time for some of my favourite caterpillars – cup moth larvae.
Cup moths are found across Australia, and they are members of the moth family Limacodidae. The common name ‘cup moth’ is derived from their cup-like pupae (pictured below). There are more than 100 species found in Australia, in about 25 genera. Larvae have varying tastes depending on the genus involved.
The cup moth larvae I find here are in the genus Doratifera and I have only ever seen them feeding on the leaves of Eucalyptus species (although they have been recorded on other plants). The most common species here are the black slug cup moth (Doratifera casta), and the four-spotted cup moth (Doratifera quadriguttata).