About Phalaenoides glycinae Lewin, 1805
This species has different characteristics in its caterpillar and adult life stages. As a caterpillar, its body is black with pale yellow transverse lines that create a chequered appearance. Long white hairs are thinly spread over its soft skin, and it has a light brown head capsule, red spots around the head region, and a prominent red rear segment. Caterpillars typically rest on the undersides of the leaves they feed on. The adult is a diurnal flying moth with a black wingspan reaching up to 5 cm. It has white bands on the forewings and a white outer margin on the hindwings. The top of its abdomen is black, and it has orange bands on the underside. Clumps of bright red hair grow on the end of the abdomen and at the base of the legs, and these red hairs protrude to be visible from above. Adult males have anterior brush organs that exude pheromones. Adults are social, feed on nectar, and live approximately 2 to 3 weeks. They can climb to heights of over 25 meters. This species is endemic to the south-eastern half of Australia, and it is an invasive species in many other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.
