Overview
The adults, often with metallic patterns, are diurnal, flying in sunshine or sitting on flowers. They walk in a characteristic, jerky manner and, at rest, often curl their wings.
Tebenna
micalis
is a widely distributed species with larvae feeding on Asteraceae, including
Helichrysum
and introduced thistles. The green larvae live in a web beneath the leaves and pupate in a silk cocoon in the web. The larvae of
Choreutis
basalis
form a silk shelter on leaves of
Ficus
.
Saptha
(8 spp.) contains relatively large and brilliantly coloured species.
Description
Very small to small; head smooth-scaled; ocelli large, chaetosemata absent; antennae filiform, sometimes thickened by dorsal scaling, cilia often long; proboscis scaled at base; maxillary palps minute, 1- or 2-segmented; labial palps recurved, 2nd segments often tufted ventrally; epiphysis present; spurs 0-2-4; fore wing broadly triangular, pterostigma present, hind wing with usually 3 frenular bristles in female, Sc + R
1
and Rs diverge from base, M
3
and CuA
1
often stalked; abdomen without coremata. Larva with 6th stemma often reduced, prothoracic shield and pinnacula well sclerotised, L group trisetose on prothorax; crochets uniordinal in complete circle, rarely biordinal or in lateral penellipse, feeding externally or beneath flimsy web. Pupa with slightly fused appendages, T2-7 each with one transverse row of spines, cremaster absent, hooked anal setae sometimes present; pupation in silk cocoon, pupa protruded at ecdysis.
Distribution
S
.
exanthista
is from rainforest in North Qld. [Arita 1987; Heppner and Duckworth 1981; Diakonoff 1986.]