For this outing on a cool, calm, late autumn night, a location with a good mix of tree species, four Eucalypts, two Wattles, and Cherry Ballart was chosen. The first moth in, an Anthela repleta, landed on the ground three metres from the light and remained there all night.

It was soon followed by the first of many male Batwing Moths, Chelepteryx collesi.

All previous encounters with this moth have been with males, a female has never come in to the light, but on this occasion after twelve males had arrived and settled down after flapping around, a big female came in to join the party.

And not to be outdone a female White-stemmed Wattle Moth, Chelepteryx chalepteryx also came in. The larvae of this species feed on Wattles and Cherry Ballart.

Another female to arrive was a Gum Rough-head, Hylaeora eucalypti.

Autumn is Fisera season, and a number of Fisera hypoleuca came to the light, exhibiting quite a range of markings. It is a genus that according to MOV Volume 5 requires further revision due to the number of forms yet to be named.

Fisera hypoleuca.

Fisera species with intermediate characteristics.

A lucky find was this Elusive White Spot, Opsirhina lechriodes, (Lasiocampidae) a species with only a relatively small number of Victorian records documented in MOV Volume 1.

Four years ago at another location thirty five kilometres away, at this time of year, Fisera hypoleuca were also plentiful, and during the night a very unusual form of Plesanemma fucata appeared. On this night one of very similar appearance came in, just a coincidence? or is there another explanation….

To conclude, this female Paralaea was very grey, but has pale chestnut veins on the forewings which would make it a grey colour form of P. porphyrinaria.

Most images will enlarge.

Batwing Moths, Chelepteryx collesi have been a familiar autumn moth out in the bush, but it was a surprise to find them in the garden, starting in 2018. A larva was found in January of that year followed by an adult male in May. Since then larvae have been found every year in December or January, with a single moth coming to the light in May. This year two males came in, suggesting that the population may be increasing.

Two species of Paralaea came in, P. beggaria again, showing its hind wings,

And Paralaea porphyrinaria.

Two Noctuids in the Hadenini, the Southern Army Worm, Persectania ewingii,

And the Double-lined Noctuid, Leucania diatrecta.
MOV Volume 9 notes that the long scales beneath the resting male can often be seen,
and they certainly can be with this attractive specimen.