Orgyia anartoides Painted Apple Moth
Orgyia anartoides is found in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. We have seen this moth in November and January. The female moth is wingless and lays her eggs in clusters.
Larval foodplants
These caterpillars are not fussy eaters and will feed on a variety of plants. We raised ours on Linden tree (Tilia europaea MALVACEAE). They fed communally in the early stages, separating as they grew. In the wild they may be wind-borne to other plants which could explain their ability to feed on a diverse number of plants.