Tachystola acroxantha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tachystola acroxantha |
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Ocystola acroxantha Meyrick, 1885 |
The Tachystola acroxantha is a small moth that belongs to the family Oecophoridae. This moth originally comes from Australia. However, it has also spread to other parts of the world, like Europe. It likely traveled to new places hidden among Australian plants.
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About the Tachystola Moth
This moth is quite small. Its wingspan (the distance from one wingtip to the other) is usually between 13 and 15 millimeters. That's about half an inch! In places like Britain, you can see these moths flying from late April all the way through September. They might have two long periods of flying or several groups of new moths appearing one after another. These moths are often attracted to lights at night. You can find them in many different places, including gardens, open heathland, and even in buildings like flour mills.
The Moth's Life Cycle
Like many insects, the Tachystola acroxantha moth goes through different stages in its life. These stages include the egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa, and finally, the adult moth.
Eggs of the Moth
Scientists haven't fully described the eggs of this moth yet. This means we don't know much about what they look like or where they are laid.
Larvae: The Caterpillar Stage
The larvae, which are like tiny caterpillars, are about 11 to 14 millimeters long. Their bodies are a see-through, grayish-white or creamy-white color. You can often see their gut as a darker line along their back, which makes them look a bit gray. Their heads are brown, and they have darker mandibles, which are like strong jaws used for chewing.
In Australia, these larvae have been found living between flat, fallen Eucalyptus leaves. They like to hide on the ground or on fallen branches, especially where the leaves are a bit damp. In Great Britain, a scientist named Alexander Allen studied these larvae. He found that when they first hatched, they lived together in a silky web. As they grew bigger, they started to live alone. Some of them ate withered (dried-up) leaves, but all the larvae preferred to eat fresh leaves. The very first wild larvae found in Great Britain were in a garden at the Natural History Museum, London in March 1998. They were living in loose silken tubes, covered with bits of leaves and frass (which is insect waste). They were found between dry, layered leaves of London plane trees (Platanus × acerifolia).
Pupae: The Resting Stage
After the larva has grown enough, it turns into a pupa. This is a resting stage where the larva changes into an adult moth. The pupa is usually found in the same place where the larva was feeding, often between spun-together leaves. It creates a loose inner cocoon, which is then protected by a tougher outer silken cocoon. This outer cocoon is often covered with frass, helping it blend in.
Where the Moth Lives
The Tachystola acroxantha moth is originally from Australia. It can be found in areas like New South Wales, Tasmania, and Victoria. However, it has also been introduced to other countries, including New Zealand and Great Britain. It's very likely that these moths arrived in these new places by hitching a ride on plants that were imported from Australia. In Britain, the moth was first seen in 1908 in a place called Ottery St Mary in Devon. Now, you can find it in the southern parts of England, as well as in Cheshire and Lancashire.
