Australian Moths and other garden observations (3 Viewers)

[Atropos]

Gonodontis orthotoma (Geometridae, Ennominae) - a scarce but regular visitor to the sheet and with a wingspan of at least 50 mm an impressive one when it does turn up
Mathoris loceusalis (Thyrididae) - a new species for me
Titanocerus (Pyralidae, Epipaschiinae) - the extent of black on the hindwing rule out the described species within this genus but this is a decent match for specimens labelled as ANIC 1 on BOLD
Jalmenus eichhorni (Lycaenidae) - aka Northern Hairstreak a new butterfly for me

 

[Atropos]

Final couple for now....
Comana miltogramma (Limacodidae) - my second specimen ofthis species. Aside from mine only known in modern times from a specimen caught on a hotel wall in Jabiru in 2009 I believe
Eucyclodes (Geometridae, Geometrinae) - this does not seem to match any of the described species and I am awaiting the response from a friend who specialises in this family to see what his opinion is

 

[Atropos]

Last night was excellent with light rain all night. Have not gone through my photos yet but this was one of the highlights, an undescribed species of Attatha (Erebidae, Erebinae)

 

[Atropos]

Only just starting to sort my photos from this week but looking like I was getting 50-80 species a night, I am heading out into the bush tonight so hopefully it will continue to rain lightly and be very productive. Here are a few more highlights
Imber tropicus (Sphingidae) - not a species that I see very regularly and my first for Weipa
Aenetus thermistis (Hepialiidae) - Australia has an amazing diversity of Heps....apparently...I have only seen a handful at locations ranging from Cairns, through Weipa and up to TI and they have ALL been thermistis! This is a large individual with a wingspan of close to 10cm
IMG_5786 (Geometridae, Geometrinae) - having a discussion with other moth-ers as to exactly what this is, the current consensus is that it is either an odd Hypodoxa emilaria or an on Crypsiphona ocultaria....a shot of the underside would clinch this but despite being 6'3" it is still avoiding capture so despite having seen it twice I have failed to get the required shot!
Theretra turneri (Sphingidae) - a worn individual of one of my favourite Theretra species. My first for Weipa and possibly the first for the western Cape
Entometa guttularis (Lasiocampidae) - a large female with a wingspan of over 7cm

 

[Atropos]

Made a rooky mistake tonight and didn't take enough water with me (only took 4 litres instead of my normal 10) and although my main site is only a few kms from home given the temp at 2330 was 30o having drunk all my water decided not to tempt fate and headed home. despite cutting the session short it was still one of the best nights trapping I have had, within 45 minutes of turning the trap on I had so many Macroglossum on the sheet that I was not able to keep an accurate count for each species...and wasn't exactly sure how many species I caught, possibly 5 or 6 but need to examine the hindwings of a few to be certain but two that are clear in the field are Macroglossum errans and Macroglossum rectans (the later be new to me for Weipa and possibly the first record for the western Cape), as well as my second Aenetus thermistis for the week.

 

[Atropos]

The Wet season is just starting to take hold which is making the trap very busy, combine this with work commitments is meaning that my editing and IDing of photos is getting further and further behind. Luckily after tomorrow I am off till the New Year so can spend a bit more time processing my catches.
Of note though have been the diversity of the Agrotera / Tetracona (Crambidae, Spilomelinae) species with four occurring on my sheet this week
Agrotera glycyphanes - a new species for me and not a common species in Queensland
Agrotera ignepicta - my first record for the Cape although a regular visitor to my sheet in Cairns
Agrotera longitabulata - the commonest of the quartet in Weipa
Tetracona amathealis- the commonest species when I was trapping around Cairns but here it is a scarce regular

 

[Andy Adcock]

having a discussion with other moth-ers as to exactly what this is, the current consensus is that it is either an odd Hypodoxa emilaria or an on Crypsiphona ocultaria....a shot of the underside would clinch this but despite being 6'3" it is still avoiding capture so despite having seen it twice I have failed to get the required shot!

Can you bat or bowl, you may be getting a call!

 

[Atropos]

Can you bat or bowl, you may be getting a call!

Sadly no....that said after today's fiasco might not be any worse than the current team!

 

[Atropos]

A couple from the last week or so.
Oruza crocodeta (Erebidae, Boletobiinae) - a new species for me
Risoba obstructa (Nolidae) - not a scarce or unusual species occurring nightly here but on Tuesday night at least 60 were on the wall!

 

[Atropos]

Agarstinae are predominantly thought of as day-flying species and this is undoubtedly the case for the majority of the time. They do however occur on the sheet at times. This last week I have been having small numbers two species on the sheet
Periopta ardescens and Radinocera vagata

 

[Atropos]

Back from a reasonably productive evening, although given the conditions of humid, no wind and light rain had hoped for more. Saturniidae were a big feature of the night with several appearing on the sheet although often not hanging around for long. These two were the most photogenic Neodiphthera excavus and a Syntherata species. The later are notoriously difficult to get to species when found as adults and at this stage I am waiting expert opinion on this and others from tonight.

​

 

[Atropos]

A few more from the last week or so
Aloa costalis and Aloa marginalis (Erebidae, Arctiinae) - two of the three Australian species of Aloa are regular on my sheet at the moment - the third is restricted to SW WA so highly unlikely to occur here!
Chlumetia nr hampsoni (Euteliinae) - aside from the records taken by Ted Edwards in the 1980s there appear to be no other records for this species
Donuca castalia (Erebidae, Erebinae) - not quite as flashy as lanipes but on the whole much quieter on the sheet

 

[Atropos]

Hednota aurantiacus (Crambidae, Crambinae) - a scarce visitor to the sheet
Isotenes miserana (Tortricidae) - a widespread species but my first for Weipa
Neargyria persimilis (Crambidae, Crambinae) - have recorded this on three occasions here. Again my records appear to be the onlyones aside from those collected by ANIC in the 80s and 90s
Theretra turneri (Sphingidae) - an Australian endemic that is a regular on the sheet at the moment

 

[Atropos]

Little bit of rain last night so I put the trap on till about midnight. The highlight was my third species of Genduara (Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae) for the area in the form of this Genduara dianipha.

 

[Atropos]

The highlight from last night, and, as far as I can tell, the first Australian record outside of the Northern Territory, Xanthanomis fuscifrons (Erebidae, Erebinae). The data on BOLD is misleading as the text lists the location for the two collected specimens as Rimbija Is which is the outer most of the Wessel Islands in Arnhem Land but the map puts the location on Croker Island off the Coberg Peninsula. The only other mainland records that I can find are my series of 14 from Nhulunbuy so the western Cape is quite a range extension.

 

[Atropos]

Idaea on the whole are plain white with slightly darker lines and dots in various combinations, the vast majority in Aus are undescribed and apparently many of those that are described (along with the other nightmare genus Scopula) are wrong even in the national collection. As a result I rarely bother photographing these genera as until someone reviews them they will remain unidentifiable and as I have been reliably informed the chances of anyone reviewing them are less than me waking up to a white Christmas at home - for any readers who don't know I live in the tropics of Far North Queensland where a cold night is any that drop below 20oC! When this turned up last night though I took a few photos in the rather naïve hope that this might be the exception...it kind of was...it is a known "species" called Idaea ANIC16 (Geometridae, Sterrhinae)

 

[Andy Adcock]

Idaea on the whole are plain white with slightly darker lines and dots in various combinations, the vast majority in Aus are undescribed and apparently many of those that are described (along with the other nightmare genus Scopula) are wrong even in the national collection. As a result I rarely bother photographing these genera as until someone reviews them they will remain unidentifiable and as I have been reliably informed the chances of anyone reviewing them are less than me waking up to a white Christmas at home - for any readers who don't know I live in the tropics of Far North Queensland where a cold night is any that drop below 20oC! When this turned up last night though I took a few photos in the rather naïve hope that this might be the exception...it kind of was...it is a known "species" called Idaea ANIC16 (Geometridae, Sterrhinae)

Second cousin, twice removed of our own Single-dotted Wave

 

[Atropos]

Second cousin, twice removed of our own Single-dotted Wave

I have found a close match from elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region namely Idaea macrospila but whether or not this is the same species I do not have a clue!

 

[Atropos]

Plutella xylostella / australiana (Yponomeutoidea, Plutellidae) on left and Labdia orthoschema (Cosmopterigidae, Cosmopteriginae) on right. Both are regular visitors to the sheet but it was nice to get a photo of them next to each other. I suspect that separating the two Plutella species is a dissection job.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Plutella xylostella / australiana (Yponomeutoidea, Plutellidae) on left and Labdia orthoschema (Cosmopterigidae, Cosmopteriginae) on right. Both are regular visitors to the sheet but it was nice to get a photo of them next to each other. I suspect that separating the two Plutella species is a dissection job.

Diamond-backed Moth!

Though I don't know why I'd be surprised, Australia has given the UK Light Brown Apple Moth.