Fighting Soldier Thrips vs Splendid Ghost Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Fighting Soldier Thrips | Splendid Ghost Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oncothrips tepperi | Aenetus ligniveren |
| Order | Thysanoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Phlaeothripidae | Hepialidae |
| Size | 1.5-3 mm | 120-160 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Forests |
| Diet | Gall Makers | Gall Makers |
| Regions | Australia | Australia, Oceania |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Fighting Soldier Thrips
A eusocial Australian thrips that forms colonies inside galls on Acacia trees with distinct reproductive and soldier castes. Soldiers patrol the gall and attack intruding insects.
Did You Know?
They are one of only about a dozen thrips species worldwide known to have evolved true eusociality with a soldier caste.
Splendid Ghost Moth
A large, primitive moth with bright green and white patterned wings. Its larvae bore into tree trunks and live inside galleries covered with silk and frass, making them among the longest-lived Australian caterpillars.
Did You Know?
Ghost moth larvae can live inside a tree trunk for up to five years, feeding on the living wood before pupating.