Category: Geometridae

Winter Moths #2

An early arrival at the light was this female Entometer fervens, (Lasiocampidae) MOV 1 shows no flight records in June and July so she must have been making up for lost time. She fluttered about on the concrete for some time and the first image shows that she scattered eggs.  At packing up time she was carefully placed on a nearby shrub.

Fluttering up the sheet.

Of interest was the second home record of Oxycanus australis (Hepialidae), a species that has not been encountered in all the many previous bush sessions. The longer antennae pectination visible in the images help to distinguish the species from Oxycanus dirempta where the rami are much shorter. Reference Moths of Victoria Volume 6.

Two Microdes have come in, Microdes squamulata (Larentiinae) first, June is noted as a lesser flight month.

The other, Microdes oriochares is described in Moths of Victoria Volume 3 as being of alpine and sub alpine distribution, with flight months December and January. In May 2013 records were made at home, and this June it has turned up again, interesting.

 

Winter Moths #1.

The low temperatures of winter certainly suppress moth activity, but  it is still worth shining the light for the species that are on the wing in the colder months. Gastrinodes argoplaca, (Boarmiinae) is much more plentiful in the warmer months, but can still be seen at the present time. Male and female came to the light recently. All moths in these posts are from the garden which has many eucalypts and a varied collection of native shrubs.

The Cryptic Bark Moth, male.

Female.

A welcome sight at the light was an old friend, Fisera belidearia, (Nacophorini).  A female came in on one occasion followed by two males a few nights later. The winter months are their main flight times.

The Two-toned Crest-moth, female.

Males.

Sorama bicolor, (Notodontidae) also flies for the whole year and can appear in winter. This individual decided to walk up the sheet with its wings spread a little, giving a different view to the usual folded wing pose.

The Two-coloured Notodontid, male.

To be continued, click to enlarge.