Night of the big moths.

A late autumn session in foothill forest resulted in a lack of smaller moths, while two species of large moth were reasonably common. In this locality May is the main flight month for the Batwing moth, Chalepteryx collesi, and on this occasion seven came to the light, six males and one female.In many years of moth surveying females have come to the light on just two occasions, both in this area.

Male.

Female.

View of the female showing antennae.

The second large species to come in was Oxycanus dirempta, exhibiting a pale wing band not previously observed in the adjacent areas.