Good mothing nights have been a little hard to come by, so a calm night after a 34 degree day was ideal to have the light shining in the bush at Glenmaggie. With many Taxeotis starting to come in the night looked promising, and so it turned out to be with a large volume of moths and other winged insects covering the sheet and ground sheet during the session. This made photographs of single moths difficult, so some of the interlopers can be seen in the following images. The first moth of particular interest arrived soon after dark, it was a female Common Whistling Moth, Hecatesia fenestrata, (Agaristinae) a first record for the location. The larvae of this moth feed on Dodder Laurel, Cassytha species. Unusually among moths the antennae are clubbed. Males fly in the late afternoon and females will come to the light soon after dark as this one did.

A large number of the Black Geometrid, Melanodes anthracitaria came in, and also a considerable number of the Pink Arhodia, Arhodia lasiocamparia, (Oenochrominae).

Epidesmia hypenaria, (Oenochrominae) settled showing its hind wings and antennae.

Genduara acedesta, (Lasiocampidae) is always nice to see, larvae feed on Cherry Ballart, a large tree is close to the mothing site.

Fluttering up the sheet among all the moths and other insects.

Also quite numerous were Picture-winged Leaf Moths, Aglaopus pyrrhata, (Thyrididae)

Cryphaea xylina, (Nacophorini) and friends….

The Bordered Browntail Moth, Urocoma limbalis, (Lymantriidae)

Two Footmen to conclude, Shepherd’s Footman, Termessa shepherdi, (Lithosiinae)

And the Tiger Footman, Thallarcha chrysochares posing here with companions.

References and further reading,
Moths of Victoria series,
Caterpillars, Moths, And Their Plants Of Southern Australia.