''Pilostibes basivitta'' is a
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
in the family
Xyloryctidae. It was described by
Francis Walker in 1864. It is found in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, where it has been recorded from
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
and
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...
is about 32 mm. The forewings are whitish ochreous with a strong fuscous longitudinal streak, mixed with blackish, from the base below the costa to the disc before the middle, with two short oblique teeth from its upper edge, and its apex connected by a short line with an oblique linear blackish dot in the disc beyond the middle. There is a short blackish longitudinal dash beneath the apex of this streak. A fine blackish line is found on the inner margin from one-third to the anal angle. The hindwings are whitish-yellowish.
The larvae feed on ''
Callistemon salignus
''Melaleuca salicina'', commonly known as willow bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. Some Australian state herbaria continue to use the name ''Callistemon salignus'', a name that is accep ...
'' and ''
Melaleuca nodosa''. They bore in the stem of their host plant, tying cut leaves to the bore entrance.
Xyloryctine Moths of Australia
References
Pilostibes
Moths described in 1864
{{Xyloryctidae-stub