Moths of Central and East Gippsland
While checking out the garden tree trunks for anything of interest, this was spotted.
It is of course a Psychid case where the male moth has pupated and vacated his home. Removing the bark flake showed how he tucked himself away behind the loose bark for safety while he pupated, then emerged leaving the empty pupal case visible.
His case is interesting in that he covered it with grains of sand, instead of plant matter or detritus as usually found around the garden.
Click to enlarge.
A three hour session at home didn’t see a lot of moths come in, but there were some interesting arrivals. The first in were two Geometrids that have been regular this autumn, Monoctenia smerintharia, and Plesanemma fucata.
Displaying a typical stance.
Cosmodes elegans flies throughout the year with April a main month.
Probably a first record for the site, Palleopa inotata (Nacophorini)
Another of interest, Xanthorhoe anaspila, (Larentiinae) possibly another first.
Ciampa arietaria, (Nacophorini)
Also a surprise in this dry weather, a male Abantiades atripalpis.
The home native garden supporting the moths illustrated in these posts was started forty five years ago, in what was then bare dry farmland. It is interesting to reflect on how such a large range of moth species have established populations over the years, and how on occasion, notable records are still being made. Summing up in one word, habitat.
Horizontal shots will enlarge.