Gold Coast InsectsAntlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) Ants Bees Beetles Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera) Buterflies & Moths Flies (Diptera) Wasps
The Wattle Cup Caterpillar (Calcarifera ordinata) is the larvae of a moth from the family Limacodidae. Also known as the Spectacular Wattle Cup Caterpillar, they are found feeding on wattle leaves. The caterpillar are also found feeding on the leaves of Acacia, Jacksonia scoparia, Phoenix canariensis, Leptosema aphyllum, Rosa odorata, Citrus sinensis and Atalaya hemiglauca.
It is a brightly coloured caterpillar with yellow, blue, green and orange colours. They also have a number of tubercles around its body, reduced legs and move around in a slug-like movement of the underside of the body. The spines have a potent venomous sting that is very painful.
They form their silk cocoon on a leaf, in a small sphere, then covered it in a liquid that sets like a tiny ball.
The adult moth is creamy brown in colour with lines of dots on the forewings. The hind wings are pale brown.
It is a widespread species found in northern Australia, south to Geraldton, Alice Springs, Brisbane to the Gold Coast area.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Unranked: Ditrysia
- Superfamily: Zygaenoidea
- Family: Limacodidae
- Genus: Calcarifera
- Species: Calcarifera ordinata
Footnote & References
- Photographs © Stefan Jones
- Calcarifera ordinata (Butler, 1886), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/09e28ed9-6260-479a-9b17-00a06aa99ab1
Gold Coast InsectsAntlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) Ants Bees Beetles Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera) Buterflies & Moths Flies (Diptera) Wasps
QueenslandGold Coast Region Lamington National Park Southern Downs QLD