Apple Looper
Phrissogonus laticostata
To escape predators, the caterpillar can freeze its body perfectly straight, mimicking a tiny, dead twig.
- Scientific name
- Phrissogonus laticostata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Geometridae › Phrissogonus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Woodlands, orchards, and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on flowers and foliage of Acacia and various garden plants; adults drink flower nectar.
- Range
- Australia, New Zealand
- Size
- Wingspan of 15-20 mm; caterpillar up to 20 mm in length.
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 months
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Widespread pesticide use in agricultural orchards and private gardens.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These moths and their caterpillars pose no threat to humans. If you find one, observe its looping crawl from a safe distance. Avoid handling the adult moth, as touching its wings can rub off the delicate scales needed for flight.
Phrissogonus is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae erected by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1882. Its only species, Phrissogonus laticostata , the apple looper , was first described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is found in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
Photo: Donald Hobern, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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