Moths of Toowoomba

Xanthodes

Xanthodes amata BAGISARINAE NOCTUIDAE

Was:- Xanthodes amata CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

Both species of Xanthodes that we were getting here were partly due to the large Hibiscus trees we had close to the house. We have now removed some of these and it will probably follow that we will see fewer of these moths. We still have a number of trees but further away from the house.

Like the Xanthodes transversa below, this moth also feeds on Hibiscus and although the species listed as their  food plant is Hibiscus meraukensis, the most likely plant here is our native Hibiscus, Hibiscus heterophyllus, Family: MALVACEAE.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- BAGISARINAE
Genus:- Xanthodes 
Species:- amata

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Xanthodes transversa BAGISARINAE NOCTUIDAE

Was:- Xanthodes transversa CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

These moths are common through a large part of Asia as well as Australia.
Although I have found several listings of their preferred larval food plant, they are mostly in the Hibiscus family and in our case the plant would be our native Hibiscus, Hibiscus heterophyllus, Family: MALVACEAE.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- BAGISARINAE
Genus:- Xanthodes
Species:- transversa

The caterpillars can vary  quite a bit as they go through their various Instars.  I think  these are all  X. transversa. The caterpillars of  X. amata are quite similar.

I think this is pretty much the final Instar

 Some of the colour difference here is due to bright sunlight in the first and deep shade for the second.

The leaf here is the underside of the Hibiscus heterophyllus, as mentioned above.














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