Tuesday 10 June 2008

Monday Night's Mothing

Here's one I prepared earlier! :)

(Click images to enlarge)


I believe it is a Hepialid but the significant difference I noticed between this one and other Hepialids such as the one below are the 'knickerbockers'! Much more dense upper leg cover (which makes me wonder if it is a Hepialid, actually.) Quite a nice moth. It had an orangy coloured hindwing which is visible in the photo.

UPDATE: Oxycanus (could be rosaceous; rufescens or sirpus)



After some rain last night, (5.5mm in total) this species of Hepialid was active. I saw 3. About 4cm in length, it had a greyish hindwing. Probably another Oxycanus sp.

UPDATE: Could be Oxycanus antipoda




This moth was quite pretty. Approximately 3cm in length. No idea what it is, but I'm about to trundle off to see if I can find out.

Update: Thanks to Duncan's very good Moth Gallery, I think this one is probably Crypsiphona ocultaria. (Geometridae - sub-family Geometrinae) I missed it fly off so was unable to observe the undercarriage which is strikingly coloured. Black and crimson on white.

6 comments:

Duncan said...

Gee, you're still doing well JL, nice pictures. I've been giving my light a rest these cool nights, perhaps I'd better get it out again! It'd help if we could get some rain though.

Junior Lepid said...

We've had 12.5mm over the last couple of days, Duncan - with more due tonight (allegedly!) Hopefully, a few moths might show themselves tonight. I cheat though, most moths I'm photographing come to my back porch and with the glass sliding door, I can easily see any activity!

I will set a sheet up away from the house when the weather warms up.

Anonymous said...

what inredibly beautiful moths! discovered your bog via duncan.. hurray!

happy mothing :)

Junior Lepid said...

Thanks woodsong.

Love the moths but they've gone a bit quiet lately.

Need more rain, I think!

Anonymous said...

Your geometrid looks like a slightly faded Crypsiphona ocultaria . Here's one I've photographed.
http://www.pbase.com/gumnut/image/76995702

Junior Lepid said...

Thank you for the confirmation! I think my image may have been more the fault of a slightly faded photographer rather than that of the moth! :-)