The Variability of Fraus simulans

The more I become involved in the study of Australia's moths, the more fascinated I become.

Variability between species, such as the Geometrid, Ciampa arietaria has caused some confusion to this little moth-er in the past! This one's a doozy for playing with your head until you learn the giveaway characteristics of Ciampa arietaria.

Size within the same species has been fascinating too. Some caterpillars are better feeders than others, apparently!

Now we come to the complex world of the Hepialid.

I was recently asked to take Hepialid specimens for identification purposes. Of the 10 Fraus specimens I provided, I thought/hoped at least a couple would not be Fraus simulans!

The jury is back and bang goes the gavel. They were all Fraus simulans!

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Well, that's it for the variability of Fraus simulans - now for something completely different.

This is Fraus polyspila. Yay - a different Fraus species at last! :-)

More On Mothing

The sheet has been the recipient of considerable activity over the past couple of weeks, mostly Crambids, Pyralids and several Noctuids I am unable to identify! They have been placed in my perennial pending file.

I had a bit of a reprieve last night but for a number of Hepialids coming to the porch light as we were receiving 23.5mm of rain.

This interesting little moth came into the porch last night. It is a species best known to the northwest of Victoria.

(Click to enlarge images)

Nolidae : Eariadinae
Earias huegeliana

This was a new moth for me also.
Crambidae : Pyraustinae
Antigastra catalaunalis

This is an old friend, Crypsiphona ocultaria.
It was perched on my sitting room window the
other morning in its splendour and I couldn't
resist taking the photo!
Geometridae : Geometrinae

Out-take: This shot illustrates the fun
us moth-ers have from time to time.
There's always somebody around to ruin
a good shot!

Oh and this female Dark Night Mole Cricket
caught my attention on Monday night. Isn't it cute? :-)
Maybe she knew some decent rain was on its way.
Gryllotalpa monanka
Orthoptera : Gryllotalpidae

Catching Up With Mothing

It's been a while since I've done any blogging.

I am just getting my feet back on solid ground after recently finding out one option to divert the highway round the local town would give me a 4-lane freeway frontage! Of course, if this option becomes a reality, there is no way I would be able to live with that!

At this point, I am hoping the 3 of 4 options which are close to me - and the most expensive, will fall off the agenda when the final decision as to the new freeway location is made in a few months time.

Anyway, back to mothing!

Yesterday, my neighbour said as he was leaving "what's this one?'
The Anthelid was sitting on my path in broad daylight in almost the same position as the Golden Sun Moth I photographed last November.

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A very nice male.
Anthela denticulata
Anthelidae


This is Araeopaschia species ovipositing on a wall.
Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae


This was a new moth for me.
Aglaopus species.
Thyrididae : Striglininae

Now that I have stopped hyperventilating for a bit over the freeway options likely to directly or indirectly impact upon my quiet enjoyment of this rural setting, which has been my home for 29 years, I might be able to keep this blog updated! :-)

December Mothing - 1

Weather has been a bit temperamental during December, with a lot of wind and cold nights. No point putting the sheet out in those conditions! Here are a few caught during a couple of warm, still nights.

(Click images to enlarge)

A Plume Moth, Stangeia xerodes
PTEROPHORIDAE



Possibly Thrincophora signigerana
TORTRICIDAE : Tortricinae

This one was taken inside. Apologies for lack of quality of image but that's what happens when short people stand on stools trying to photograph moths on the ceiling!! :-)

Unfortunately, the moth expired before I could catch it to take outside.

Pyralid of some kind, maybe?

Here's an unidentified Noctuid.

If anyone knows what these two are, please let me know.

November Mothing - 6

Well, what a week this past one has been! While Canberra went into meltdown, I was finding a moth listed as critically endangered in Australia!

This is the Golden Sun Moth, Synemon plana. Victoria seems to be the last stronghold for this diurnal species and is listed as a threatened taxon.
The moth is quite complex. The males usually have a range of not much more than 100 metres which they patrol on very still, warm days searching for females who are generally non-fliers. The females deposit themselves on the host plant, Wallaby grass (Austrodanthonia species) flashing their orange hindwing to attract the male. The moth has limited mouthparts and unable to feed or drink so their lifespan is limited to about a week.

I caught this moth doing a bit of circle-work on a footpath leading to the back door. It may have got caught up in a long wire cage I made to protect seedlings from bird attack which is currently on a wall to deter my cats from getting onto the roof whilst the Pardalotes are raising their brood. If this was the reason for the circling behaviour, it could be due to the moth being a bit disorientated. When I put it on a leaf of a large shrub, it immediately flew off.

More on the status of this moth here.

Click to enlarge images)

Synemon plana
CASTNIIDAE


An old favourite a bit worse for wear - probably due to a microbat or something!

I found Oenochroma vinaria caterpillars in a young Hakea, trying to hide from the rain, yesterday.

Oenochroma vinaria
GEOMETRIDAE : Oenochrominae

November Mothing - 5

New species (for me) are continuing to present themselves this month. Here are a few of them.
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Two new species of Idaea and I was lucky enough to have help with the identifications.
The top one is the striking Idaea pseliota.


This one is Idaea philocosma
Geometridae : Sterrhinae


Another Tiger/Footman.
This one is Termessa gratiosa.
Arctiidae : Lithosiinae


Gastrina cristaria
Geometridae : Ennominae


This, I think is Persectania ewingii.
If you enlarge this photo, the scales resemble feathers on this particular moth. Probably a really fresh model! :-)
Noctuidae : Hadeninae.

We are in for some cooler weather and rain, hopefully, so mothing may be put on the back burner for a few days.

November Mothing - 4

High temperatures (30s+) last week brough some new moths (for me) plus a few of the usual suspects.


Here are some of them.


(Click images to enlarge)


This is a new moth for me.
Sandava xylistis
Noctuidae : Hypeninae


This is a small moth less that 1cm in length.
Eublemma rivula
Noctuidae : Acontiinae


I think this is Chloroclystis filata. It had a wingspan of about 2cm.
Geometridae : Larentiinae

This one has proved difficult to identify absolutely.

In Janurary this year, I photographed Sterictopsis argyraspis but this one seems to have much darker zig-zag lines across the upper wing. If anyone can correctly identify it, I would be pleased.

Sterictopsis species

Geometridae : Geometrinae

Nacoleia rhoeoalis

Crambidae : Pyraustinae

(Boarmia) suasaria

Geometridae : Ennominae

I knew I was psychic! I just knew my Hypobapta percomptaria would be darker than Mosura's !! :-)

Geometridae : Geometrinae

Edit: This moth might be Hypobapta diffundens - not H. percomptaria.

November Mothing - 3

With temperatures in the 30's+ during this week and a couple of reasonably still nights, mothing has been productive. Here are a few from early in the week.

(Click images to enlarge)

NOCTUIDAE : Heliothinae
Helicoverpa punctigera


GEOMETRIDAE : Ennominae
Dysbatus singularis


GEOMETRIDAE : Geometrinae
Hypobapta diffundens

GEOMETRIDAE : Ennominae

Cryphaea xylina

UPDATE: I've received advice this moth might be Mimaglossa species.

Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae

CRAMBIDAE : Pyraustinae

Achyra affinitalis (light and dark forms)

A lovely chestnut form of Uresphita ornithropteralis

CRAMBIDAE : Pyraustinae

I'm pretty sure this is Eochrois callianessa.

There is a tinge of yellow on this moth where it should be.

OECOPHORIDAE : Oecophorinae

This one is unidentified. If anyone knows what it is, I'd be very pleased to know. About 1.5cm in length.

Also, if I have made an error with other identifications, please let me know.

November Mothing - 2

Ten moths of interest attended the sheet on a balmy Saturday night. Six of those, a specific identification might not be possible because of insufficient research information on the Internet.

A number of Horehound Plume Moths (Wheeleria spilodactylus) were around as well.
(Click images to enlarge)

This is my first encounter with Opodiphthera eucalypti. This one is a male.

A bit weather-beaten, unfortunately.

Underwing shot.

SATURNIIDAE

Another Tiger/Footman. This one is Termessa sp. possibly T. zonophanes.

ARCTIIDAE : Lithosiinae

Here's a bit of a look at the hindwing and abdomen. This moth was roaring all over the sheet and took some time before it settled enough for a reasonable shot. I'm surprised this shot isn't one big blur!

This is a richly coloured example of Anachloris subochraria.

GEOMETRIDAE : Larentiinae

An Oecophorid. Probably Philobota species. There is a hint of a dark line along the costa but again, research information is sadly lacking to help with an accurate identification.

UPDATE: I've received advice this might be Philobota productella.

The others not appearing here were Geometrids. One was Idaea species, one Taxeotis, I suspect and three remain in the 'too hard file' ! :-)