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Emperor gum moth with parasites

Opidodiphthera eucalypti

Photo by MartinL
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Mature larva heavily infested with parasitic eggs from a brachinid fly or wasp.

Habitat:

Feeding on young leaves of eucalyptus sapling.

Notes:

I noticed a hole in the cocoon some weeks later and dissection revealed the dead owner and the eggs inside. Little evidence appears that the eggs actually hatched and what they are.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (20)
Sckel
Great job with photos. Is impressive the damage that parasites can do.
MartinL
Thanks for your comment Mayra
Sergio Monteiro
Man, I know nature must go on, but that's a terrible way to go.
MartinL
These eggs seem to infest other species too http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8885328 but when seasons are good, parasites are actually essential, considering most insects lay hundreds of eggs.
Mark Ridgway
At least we've had a season where so many have made it.
pamsai
oh dear... poor thing.
MartinL
Find out what happened to this caterpillar infested with parasite eggs =(
Mark Ridgway
Glad to see you've added another chapter. Good one.
MartinL
Well the caterpillar (Click to view in photo series) pupated before I got to removing the parasite eggs. The eggs seem to be glued into the pupa wall! (The mesh is an imprint of fly wire - not natural)
Mark Ridgway
Fabulous! I have been hoping for some of these over the last few years - they seem to be rare now. It would be great to put some scale against it to show non-Oz people it's size.
MartinL
Our emperor gum was once called Antheraea so they're very similar. Good luck. Mantids are hard to feed and too much hard work for me. The adults are more fun than any other insect.
MartinL
Thanks textless. I'm almost tempted to let nature take its course and see if the eggs can penetrate. However the moth is too spectacular a reward compared with two dozen little tachinid flies.
KarenL
I've brought in a polyphemus cocoon that blew down & is now superglued to a twig in a jar in my garage so I will (fingers crossed!) raise my first moth next spring! I will also bring in a mantis ootheca I've found & I'm really excited at the prospect of watching the nymphs emerge!
MartinL
You never get tired of watching them emerge. I also breed local phasmids (walking sticks), Hypolimnas bolina, Papilio ageus, Delias aganippe, D. harpalyce and monarch, of course. Mainly for school demos.
KarenL
That must be fascinating to observe! Do you raise many species?
MartinL
I found only this one today in the wild and will attempt to clean them off. I have others captive bred and they never get infested. Last year some pupated with some eggs attached yet the moths emerged successfully. Lucky?
KarenL
I always feel kind of sad for the caterpillars!
textless
Beautiful caterpillar... sorry to see it playing host to parasites even though they're interesting too.

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PublishedDecember 8, 2011

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