Moths of Toowoomba

 SCHOENOBIINAE CRAMBIDAE

Tipanaea patulella SCHOENOBIINAE CRAMBIDAE

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- SCHOENOBIINAE
Genus:-  Tipanaea
Species:- patulella









I am fairly certain of this identification but there is a slight possibility that it could be Scirpophaga excerptalis which are a pest on sugar cane.
One description says they have a wing span of about 30mm but that sounds a bit oversize for the ones we see here. Sizes of adult moths can vary depending on the climate and available food souces. This is a very dry area at times.  If the size data was collected in the wetter tropical areas nearer the coast, where there are likely to be better conditions, then there are likely to be larger adults.

The larvae are also said to bore into the stems of Juncus species reeds and grasses usually in damp areas and that fits with sightings around here.

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