Reductoderces cawthronella

Philpott described the adults of this species as follows:

♂. 9 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-grey Palpi whitish. Antennae grey annulated with black, ciliations 3. Abdomen grey-fuscous. Legs grey-whitish. Forewings, costa slightly arched, faintly sinuate, apex rounded, termen strongly oblique; whitish-grey, slightly ochreous and irrorated with fuscous especially on basal ¾; base of costa irregularly brownish-black to ¼; a rather large brownish-black spot on costa at ½; three smaller brownish-black spots on costa on apical ⅓; an irregular transverse brownish-black discal spot; a series of small blackish-brown spots round termen: cilia grey-whitish. Hindwings and cilia fuscous-grey. The larva inhabits a fragile case which is pear shaped and is approximately 6mm long and 3.5 mm wide. Hudson described the larvae of this species as follows:

The head of the pupa is well separated from the thorax, and the legs reach quite to the extremity of the abdomen. On the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment there is a transverse row of stout recurved spines; these probably serve to keep the pupa from slipping from the case when the emergence of the imago is taking place.

The larvae inhabit a case made from fragments of a white lichen. It travels in the case by extending its head and thorax and then lifting the case clear and forward. The larvae pupate at the end of June by attaching its case to a stone, twig or leaf. The attachment enables the case to swing in multiple directions. The adults emerge from the beginning of August until the middle of October.

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