Pupal habits of four species of the subfamily Eublemninae feeding on dead leaves (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

― An analysis of pupal shelters made by larvae of Oruza yoshinoensis, Arasada ornata, Oruza glaucotorna and other close species―

Abstract

Prior to forming a cocoon, the larvae of the moth species Oruza yoshinoensis (Wileman), Arasada ornata (Wileman), Autoba tristalis (Leech), O. glaucotorna (Hampson), and O. mira (Butler) build elaborate shelters using dead leaves left on branches. I looked for shelters and larvae at a study site on Mt. Kinka in Gifu City, Japan. Larvae were then raised in plastic containers and allowed to make their shelters. Larvae of O. yoshinoensis, A. ornata and O. glaucotorna made very similar shelters despite differences in genus. There were subtle differences between the shelters that distinguished the three species. The shelter-making behaviors of these moth larvae appear to be as useful as morphological characteristics for species classification.