Last of the January 2009 Moths

What a stinking week we've had in Victoria! Trains across Melbourne at a virtual standstill and massive power outages in the middle of one of the hottest weeks on record. Living far away from the city has its merits. although temperatures here were well above 40deg C, we had no power outages here.

(Click images to enlarge)

No. 1 Endoxyla encalypti
COSSIDAE

No. 2 Araeopaschia sp
PYRALIDAE : Epipaschiinae

No. 3 Leucania diatrecta

NOCTUIDAE : Hadeninae

UNIDENTIFIED:

No. 4

Possibly GEOMETRIDAE : Ennominae (to be confirmed)

UPDATE: This is Sterictopsis argyraspis

GEOMETRIDAE : Geometrinae (Thanks for the tip, MH)

No. 5 I love this little moth. All of 1cm in length.

UPDATE: This might be Clania lewinii

PSYCHIDAE

Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank Marilyn, Wendy and Donald Hobern for their assistance with identifications.

Also, without excellent sites like Donald Hobern's and Mosura's, identification of many of the moths I have photographed would have been virtually impossible. Thank you, Donald and Mosura.

January Mothing - 6

Hot! Who said it was hot! 39 deg. C in the shade at noon yesterday and again today!

A few moths photographed on 26th and 27th. I went to bed early last night but as Duncan mentioned, it's going to be too hot to sleep over the next few days and provided there is no wind here, I will probably be mothing again tonight!

(Click images to enlarge)


No. 1. Iphierga euphragma

PSYCHIDAE


Unfortunately, this is a less than satisfactory image. The sheet began to billow as I tried to record this moth. It didn't hang around for a second attempt! :-)




No. 2 I think this might be Spectrotrota fimbrialis

PYRALIDAE : Epipaschiinae




No. 3 Southern Old Lady

Dasypodia selenophora

NOCTUIDAE : Catocalinae




No. 4 Wingia aurata

OECOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae






No. 5 Hellula hydralis

CRAMBIDAE : Glaphyriinae





No. 6 Hypobapta sp (female and male, I think)

GEOMETRIDAE : Geometrinae

Although this moth looks very much like Hypobapta diffundens and I would have called it H. diffundens until I read that species has a wingspan of only 2cm. My larger moth had a static winspan of at least 5cm.

Enquiries pending! :-)

UPDATE: I have received advice that Hypobapta diffundens has a small wingspan (thanks Donald) although images I found of this species appeared to match my moth better than my first identification choice of Hypobapta percomptaria which is a much larger moth, so it's possible my moths are H. percomptaria.

No. 7

I think this has to be Clania ignobilis. I photographed the larval case of the Faggot Case Moth not so long ago.

PSYCHIDAE


Duncan described his "Psych" as demented! I will describe mine as maniacal! :-)


I have found almost no good images of this clearwing species of Case Moth so am not prepared to call the species. Help required! :-)

No. 8 UPDATE: Probably Mythimna convecta (Common Armyworm) (Thanks for the research MH)

NOCTUIDAE : Hadeninae

UNIDENTIFIED

No. 9 - a striking moth

UPDATE: This moth is likely to be Dysbatus sp.

GEOMETRIDAE : Ennominae (Thanks again MH)

No. 10

January Mothing - 5

From Friday night's mothing session! :-)

(Click images to enlarge)

No. 1

Paraterpna sp

GEOMETRIDAE : Geometrinae

*************************

I have been getting quite a few nice little Oecophorids, some really small. A couple of these photos could have been better. Unfortunately, a few of the subjects were not prepared to settle long enough for a decent photo shoot! :-)

No. 2

Ericibdela delotis

OECOPHORIDAE

No. 3

An Oecophorid, I think. (Subject to correction/identification)

No. 4

Psaroxantha calligenes

OECOPHORIDAE

No. 5

(Subject to confirmation, but this looks a bit like Chrysonoma sp)

OECOPHORIDAE

No. 6 Zonopetala decisana

OECOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae

UNIDENTIFIED

No. 7

Might be in the Crambidae family!

UPDATE: This is actually Chloroclystis insigillata (thanks MH) :-)

GEOMETRIDAE: Larentiinae

Had I been a little more diligent when searching my own records, I would have discovered I photographed another member of the Larentiinae subfamily in December and picked up on the similarities! :-)

January Mothing - 4

A few selections from a couple of recent mothing sessions - despite millions of very annoying small insects, including mosquitoes! :-)


(Click images to enlarge)

No. 1

Identification of this Plume Moth is pending.

UPDATE: This is Stangeia xerodes. (Thank you, Donald.)

PTEROPHORIDAE



No. 2

This is possibly Thrincophora sp. It is similar to a moth I photographed last December that Donald Hobern helped with identification as Thrincophora signigerana.

TORTRICIDAE



No. 3

I suspect this is Placocosma resumptella
OECOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae


No. 4

Probably Hellula hydralis

CRAMBIDAE : Glaphyriinae







No. 5


A more normal looking Dissomorphia australiaria compared to the pale orange looking example I photographed earlier in the month!


GEOMETRIDAE : Ennominae






No. 6


Maroga melanostigma (Fruit-tree Borer)


OECOPHORIDAE : Xyloryctinae



No. 7

I think this is probably the Case/Bag Moth Lomera boisduvalii
PSYCHIDAE


No. 8 Tanyzancia argutella
OCEOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae


No. 9

A Noctuid, perhaps?

UPDATE: Probably Dasygaster padockina (thanks MH)
NOCTUIDAE: Hadeninae



(Grid - 1 square = 1cm)

January Mothing - 3

A couple of still nights yielded a few new species.

(Click images to enlarge)

No. 1 Piloprepes antidoxa
OECOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae


No. 2 Moerarchis inconcisella
TINEIDAE : Myrmecozelinae


No. 3 Oenochroma vinaria (Pink-bellied or Hakea Moth)
(I've not seen this moth since 2006)
GEOMETRIDAE : Oenochrominae

No. 4 Circopetes obtusata

GEOMETRIDAE : Oenochrominae

No. 5 Another Cup Moth. Doratifera sp - possibly Doratifera pinguis. This one has a very dark abdomen.

LIMACODIDAE