Author: Pholodes

Glenmaggie.

The typical forest of the higher ground around Lake Glenmaggie is box/ironbark, ie. Eucalyptus polyanthemos and tricarpa, with E. macroryncha. There is a property by the lake with this forest type that has not been burnt for over fifty years, and consequently is very open. The understory includes the occasional Exocarpos cupressiformis, restricted patches of the ubiquitous Kunzea ericoides, with Acacia pycnantha, and lower to the ground, Stypandra glauca, Platysace lanceolata, and Hibbertia obtusifolia to name a few. The terrestrial orchid population is  quite rich with Caleana major, Paracaleana minor, Calochilus paludosus, Diuris sulphurea, Thelymitra ixioides, and Caladenias catenata, carnea and fuscata to name some of the more eye catching species. When this country is burnt it quickly becomes almost impenetrable, due to profuse regeneration of the Golden Wattle and Burgan, and much of the orchid flora is choked out.

Close to the lake this vegetation grades into the red gum country of the submerged Macalister River valley. The ground flora found there includes heathland plants like Grass Trigger Plant, Bulbine and Chocolate Lilies,  with Pterostylis species, and occurrences of Grevillea lanigera, and Cryptandra amara, both latter species unfortunately declining.

The moth fauna in the block has proved to be abundant and diverse, thanks largely to the fact that it has escaped bushfire for so long, and some worthwhile records have been made during several surveys. The last occasion was in early May when the magnificent autumn flying Batwing Moth, Chelepteryx collesi (Anthelidae) is on the wing, and they didn’t disappoint with a number of males coming in to the light during the session.

Also to the light in numbers was another autumn flying species, Fisera hypoleuca, (Nacophorini), females except for one male, identified by its pectinate antennae.

Female.

Male.

Continuing with autumn flying moths in the Nacophorini, male and female Smyriodes trigramma, the female is quite different to the male.

Male

Female

Plesanemma fucata is a lovely moth.

The next moth is another to which a name cannot be confidently applied, it is a Stibaroma species, and in MOV 5 it is designated (sp 1). Again a male moth, the larvae feed on eucalypt foliage as do the larvae of all the above moths.

And lastly in this group, Thalaina selenaea, the plain-winged form. Another form with a diagonal line on the wings is of more westerly distribution. The pose in this  photograph is not the norm, but is featured for its humorous aspect. The larvae of this moth feed on wattle foliage.

The next moth is another Geometrid, an Emerald, Chlorocoma assimilis, (Geometrinae) it can be identified by its plain wings, the red tinge on the shoulder and tip of the leading edge of the fore wing, and the yellow dorsal stripe.

The last moth in this autumn collection from the box/ironbark is a small Nolid that has the characteristics of Nola pleurosema, (Nolinae) but with colour differences.

All moths photographed during this session can be seen here.

References.
P Marriott
M Hewish
Moths of Victoria Volumes 2, 4, and 5.

Click images to enlarge.

Epicoma.

This genus of attractive moths in the Notodontidae has eight representatives in Victoria, five named, and three to which names cannot be confidently applied, they are designated sp. (1), (2), and (3) in  Moths of Victoria Vol. 2 second edition, and of the eight, six have come to the light locally.
Of the other two, E. melanosticta is of more northerly distribution, and sp. (3) is alpine. In my reference, MOV Vol. 2, they are divided into two groups, white-winged and dark-winged. The larvae feed on plants in the Myrtacaea, eg. eucalypts, callistemons, leptospermums, kunzea, etc.

My first encounter with the genus was in April 2008, when a female E. melanospila came in soon after I became interested in moths, the  female is significantly different to the male, below.

Species (1) and (2) are also in the white-winged group, sp. (1) was photographed in tall forest by Gladstone Creek south of Mount Moornapa in April 2012, and sp.(2) in the same location in April 2016. Both are male moths.

Species (1)

Species (2)

First in the dark-winged group is Epicoma contristis, The male was recorded in box/ironbark bush at Glenmaggie in March 2016, and the female with the smaller antennae at Holey Plains State Park in January 2014. Note the diffuse dark area around the yellow discal spot.

Epicoma tristis is a similar moth but the dark area around the discal spot is more compact, and the antennae are larger and more spectacular. Both males were recorded in Providence Ponds Reserve in November 2013.

Thirdly in this group is Epicoma pontificalis, in March  2016 several females came to the light at Providence Ponds in taller stringy forest on the eastern boundary track.

Identification of these moths can be tricky, MOV 2 is the essential reference, the MOV series is the source of all names used in these posts.
Thanks also to P Marriott for information and identifications.

Click images to enlarge.