The short late autumn day saw the light shining in the box/ironbark bush by by five thirty, and the first moth arrived soon after, a small tortricid barely 10 mm long.

As expected it was fairly quiet for the next hour, but then things changed dramatically when the first Batwing Moth, Chelepteryx collesi, (Anthelidae), flew in to land on the ground. Quite a contrast in size to the above, with wingspans in the species of up to 125mm.

The two Chelepteryx species, C. collesi and C. chalepteryx are autumn flying moths with April and May the main months. Previous occasions have seen up to fifteen C. collesi come to the light in forest containing peppermints, and it was of interest to see if the box/ironbark/stringy bush was also to their liking. The answer was a resounding yes, as over the next three hours thirty five flew in. The majority stayed on the forest floor or the ground sheet, a corner of which is illustrated below. In order to avoid treading on any it was necessary to relocate a number to nearby Stypandra glauca bushes, where most were happy to remain.

This one was placed on a red stringy trunk for a picture.

C. collesi was also expected, but it was three hours before one arrived, followed later by another. They were much more restless than the batwings and it was quite some time before they settled for photo opportunities.

Geometrids were well represented with some interesting records, firsts for the location.
Firstly, the Jagged Bark Moth, Lipogya exprimataria. (Ennominae, Boarmiinae.)

The Annulus Crest-moth, Nisista notodontaria. (Ennominae, Nacophorini.)

Also encountered at this site twelve months ago, the Russet Crest-moth, Fisera hypoleuca. (Ennominae, Nacophorini.)

Female.

Male.

This next moth in the same sub family is a very unusual form of Plesanemma fucata, the Lemon Gum Moth, compare the pictures with this image of the typical form.

Moving to the Geometrinae sub family, Chlorocoma MOV (sp. 5)
This moth is identified by its dorsal line and plain wings with pink-tipped fringe.

The male Plumed Carpet, Chloroclystis approximata, is a very attractive small moth in the Larentiinae sub family.

The female is differently shaped and much plainer. Several came in and were quite worn.

More photos of the night’s moths can be seen here

References and further reading,
M Hewish, P Marriott,
Moths of Victoria Volumes 1,3,4,5, and 7.

Click images to enlarge.

 

The end of March saw the light shining in the Glenmaggie box/ironbark bush, with only a short session possible before a change with strong winds was due to arrive. Arrive it did, but there was still time to get some interesting moths before the retreat from under the trees. Doratifera oxleyi is one of the cup moths in the Limacodidae family. More than half a dozen fat females came in to flap around on the groundsheet.

Females seem to be much more common than than males, (P Marriott pers. comm.) this was certainly the case with just one small male low down on the sheet. The larvae of this moth feed on eucalypt foliage.

The other species to come in in numbers was Spilosoma glatignyi, (Arctiinae) the Black and White Tiger Moth, the larvae of which feed on many types of plants, all were females.

Emeralds were scarce, one male Golden-fringed Emerald, Chlorocoma assimili (Geometrinae) came in. This is one of the emeralds with a dorsal line.

Urocoma limbalis featured in the previous post, this is Urocoma baliolalis, the Pink Browntail Moth, (Lymantriidae) Larval food plants include Eucalypts.

Anthela ferruginosa (Anthelidae) seems to be a specialty of this site, interestingly all records have been female.

Two smaller moths to conclude, firstly the Pond Moth, Hygraula nitens, (Crambidae, Acentropinae.) The larvae live under water feeding on water plants, they have gill filaments for breathing.

Most Noctuids to the light are medium to large , this species, the variable Alapadna pauropis (Catocalinae) is quite small.

Click to enlarge.

References and further reading,
P Marriott
Moths of Victoria Volumes 2 and 4
Australian Moths.