Flax looper caterpillar adult
Orthoclydon praefectata Walker
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Size range
- Wingspan of moth 35–38 mm
Distribution
- Native species
Life History
- Looper caterpillar feeds nocturnally on the undersurface of young flax (Phormuim tenax) leaves, leaving the top colourless layer, forming a ‘window’
- In older leaves the window often breaks leaving a hole.
- Caterpillars green at first, later opaque yellow with red stripes.