Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter Moth)Adult Bag-shelter Moth Processionary Caterpillars
The species Ochrogaster lunifer are a well known insect in Australia, especially the sight of seeing a line of caterpillars making their way across the landscape, following each other from head to toe. Indeed, these “Processionary Caterpillars”, as they are commonly known, are also known as Itchy Grubs or “fluffy ball of pain”.
They are a social creature, that nest together in a silken woven bag (often in the branches of trees). These fascinating creatures feed on the leaves of the tree where their cocoon nest is and once they strip the tree of leaves, will leave the tree in search of more food. This is when they make the familiar sight of caterpillars following each other in a single line, as they weave their way across the ground looking for another suitable shrub or tree.
The caterpillars are able to keep in touch with each other by following the hairs on the rear end of the caterpillar in front, and leaving a silken trail in their wake.
When touched, these hairs usually can cause severe skin rash in people, hence their other common name of “Itchy Grub”. Local aboriginal people have been known to use the silk cocoon bag in traditional medicine.
The caterpillars are usually orange, dark brown, and with numerous long white hairs, whilst the adult moth are extremely variable in wing markings and colour, ranging from brown to white.
More information can be found:
- Processionary Caterpillar — Fauna > Insects > Moths
- Bag-shelter Moth & Processionary Caterpillar — Alice Springs Fauna
- Processionary Caterpillar — Alice Springs Desert Park
- Processionary Caterpillar — Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Subclass: Pterygota
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Superfamily: Noctuoidea
- Family: Notodontidae
- Subfamily: Thaumetopoeinae
- Genus: Ochrogaster
- Species: Ochrogaster lunifer
Footnote & References
- Ochrogaster lunifer (Herrich-Schaffer, [1855]), Processionary Caterpillar, Coffs Harbour Butterfly House, http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/noto/lunifer.html
- Bag-shelter Moth, Processionary Caterpillar – Ochrogaster lunifer, Brisbane Insects and Spiders Home Page, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_noct/ProcessionaryCaterpillar.htm
- Bag-shelter Moth – Ochrogaster lunifer, by William Archer, Esperance Fauna, https://esperancewildlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/bag-shelter-moth-ochrogaster-lunifer.html
- Bag-shelter Moth (Ochrogaster lunifer), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/208621-Ochrogaster-lunifer
- Itchy caterpillars, Northern Territory Government of Australia, https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/emergencies-injuries-and-accidents/bites-and-stings/itchy-caterpillars/bag-shelter-moth
Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter Moth)Adult Bag-shelter Moth Processionary Caterpillars
MothsMoths Index Aedia arctipennis Agrius convolvuli (Convolvulus Hawk Moth) Anthela guenei (Four-Spot Anthelid Moth) Austrocaligula engaea (Mistletoe Emperor Moth) Case Moths (Variety of Cocoons) Coenotes eremophilae Comocrus behri (Mistletoe Moth) Cosmodes elegans (Green-blotched Moth) Donuca spectabilis (White-spotted Owl-Moth) Endoxyla cinereus (Carpenter Moth) Four-spotted Cup Moth (Doratifera quadriguttata) Hyles livornicoides (Australian Striped Hawk Moth) Leaf Case Moth Metura elongatus (Saunders’ Case Moth) Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter Moth) Opodiphthera eucalypti (Emperor Gum Moth) Plume Moth Ribbed Case Moth Sameodes cancellalis Utetheisa (Rattlepod Moth)