Female moths "lay" their eggs by scattering them during flight; up to 10,000 eggs are released at once.
Larvae then hatch from the eggs in the leaf litter on the forest floor and begin tunnelling, in search of suitable host roots.
 The number of instars and the period of the larval stage is yet unknown, with field observations suggesting a larval stage of more than eighteen months.

The phytophagous larvae of A. latipennis feed primarily on the root systems of two species of tree, Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate stringybark) and Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash).
Both of these species are present in old growth forests and dominant in regrowth forests, contributing to the moth's success in its own habitat.
Forming simple and vertical tunnels, lined with silk, the caterpillars are subterranean before and during pupation, emerging for their metamorphosis.
 The tunnel entrances, 6 to 10 millimetres in diameter, are covered with silk webbing and leaf litter, and can be up to 60 centimetres (2 ft) deep, although depth is more usually 12 to 35 cm.

By chewing the tap and lateral roots of trees, caterpillars feed on the cambium growth, produced by the tree at the site of the injury.
The larvae may girdle a root, thereby causing its death, or the lesions may be only partial, allowing the root to continue functioning, albeit with some deformity.

The subterranean habitat of the larvae generally provides protection from predation, but the larvae are sometimes parasitised by tachina flies.
 The parasitoid larvae of the tachinid Rutilotrixa diversa, usually hosted by scarab beetles, have been discovered infecting A. latipennis.

Adult A. latipennis are crepuscular and males are strongly attracted to lights, forming leks at dusk, most notably after rains in autumn and late summer.
  Females use pheromones to attract males for mating.
 As a primitive species, they lack mouthparts as adults and are therefore unable to feed.
Their lifespan as winged creatures is understandably short, lasting approximately a week, barring predation.
Predation is commonly by bats, owls, and possums, though several other animals, from spiders to cats, occasionally consume them and contribute to the brief lifespan of the metamorphosed moths.
Female moths "lay" their eggs by scattering them during flight; up to 10,000 eggs are released at once. Larvae then hatch from the eggs in the leaf litter on the forest floor and begin tunnelling, in search of suitable host roots.  The number of instars and the period of the larval stage is yet unknown, with field observations suggesting a larval stage of more than eighteen months.
The phytophagous larvae of A. latipennis feed primarily on the root systems of two species of tree, Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate stringybark) and Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash). Both of these species are present in old growth forests and dominant in regrowth forests, contributing to the moth's success in its own habitat. Forming simple and vertical tunnels, lined with silk, the caterpillars are subterranean before and during pupation, emerging for their metamorphosis.  The tunnel entrances, 6 to 10 millimetres in diameter, are covered with silk webbing and leaf litter, and can be up to 60 centimetres (2 ft) deep, although depth is more usually 12 to 35 cm.
By chewing the tap and lateral roots of trees, caterpillars feed on the cambium growth, produced by the tree at the site of the injury. The larvae may girdle a root, thereby causing its death, or the lesions may be only partial, allowing the root to continue functioning, albeit with some deformity.
The subterranean habitat of the larvae generally provides protection from predation, but the larvae are sometimes parasitised by tachina flies.  The parasitoid larvae of the tachinid Rutilotrixa diversa, usually hosted by scarab beetles, have been discovered infecting A. latipennis.
Adult A. latipennis are crepuscular and males are strongly attracted to lights, forming leks at dusk, most notably after rains in autumn and late summer.   Females use pheromones to attract males for mating.  As a primitive species, they lack mouthparts as adults and are therefore unable to feed. Their lifespan as winged creatures is understandably short, lasting approximately a week, barring predation. Predation is commonly by bats, owls, and possums, though several other animals, from spiders to cats, occasionally consume them and contribute to the brief lifespan of the metamorphosed moths.
Abantiades latipennis