Orgyia postica
Orgyia postica, known as the cocoa tussock moth or hevea tussock moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It lives in the tropical parts of Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Borneo, Java, New Guinea, and Taiwan. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1855.
Appearance
- Male: wingspan 20–30 mm. The head, thorax, and abdomen are brown. Forewings are brown with an indistinct oblique line near the base, wavy lines, and a bluish-grey tint between them. A white-edged line lies near the disc area, with two faint submarginal lines. The apex has a grey tinge and some dark streaks. Hindwings are dark brown.
- Female: wingless.
Larva and pupa
- The caterpillar is yellowish with brown hair and several bands. It has paired tufts on certain body segments and red head. The pupa is stout; males have a glossy black pupa with many small hair tufts.
Eggs
- Eggs are pillbox-shaped, pale whitish brown, with a darker ring around the top.
Life cycle
- Adult males fly year-round.
Host plants
- The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of plants, including cocoa, rubber (Hevea), mango, durian, citrus, coffee, tea, eucalyptus, teak, and many other trees and crops.
Ecology
- The eggs are attacked by parasitoid wasps of the genus Telenomus.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:38 (CET).