About

Wednesday 27 May 2020

Achaea janata

Achaea janata EREBINAE EREBIDAE

I previously put this one on the Blog on Wednesday, 21 June 2017.
I have added these photos because the wing markings are unusually strong and somewhat different to the normal run of A.janata seen here.

Some larval food plants are listed on the previous Blog entry as above. The list of larval food plants is extensive and they are considered a serious pest on the ones that are commercial crops.
Although we have a number of the plants here, including a common one right outside the main windows where we find them, we never have any problem with them stripping the plants.




Family:-  EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- EREBINAE
Genus:- Achaea
Species:- janata



















***********************************************************************************

Helicoverpa assulta HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE

Once again, I put this moth on the Blog on Wednesday, 22 November 2017.
I have added these photos which show the wings better.





Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- HELIOTHINAE
Genus:- Helicoverpa
Species:- assulta






************************************************************************************

Saturday 23 May 2020

Pandesma submurina 

Pandesma submurina EREBINAE EREBIDAE

At first sight I dismissed this moth as another variation of the Achaea janata but the markings on the rear wing caught my attention.

I found a reference on Bold Systems that the larval food is possibly  in the FABACAE family. If that is the case, we have many plants in this family including Hardenbergia Sp, Crotalaria Sp, Jacksonia scoparia (Dog Wood tree), Hovea Sp and Castanospermum australe (Black Bean), among others.

Wingspan is about 50 mm.








Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- EREBINAE
Genus:- Pandesma
Species:- submurina
*************************************************************************************

Tuesday 12 May 2020

Balantiucha leucocephala

Balantiucha leucocephala EPIPLEMINAE URANIIDAE

Moths in URANIIDAE are often difficult to identify due to the tendency to roll their wings.
I have covered a few other moths from URANIIDAE previously on this Blog. Just enter "URANIIDAE" in the search box on the top left of the screen in the desktop (Web)version.

There doesn't seem to be a search box in the mobile version but you can change the mobile version to the web version by going to the bottom of the screen and clicking the web version button.
I don't have anything on the biology of this moth,
Wing span 25-28mm




 Family:- URANIIDAE
Sub Family:- EPIPLEMINAE
Genus:-  Balantiucha
Species:- leucocephala


Some synonyms still being used on the internet:-  
Dirades platyphylla
Erosia leucocephala
Phazaca leucocephala




************************************************************************************

Wednesday 6 May 2020

Ethmia postica

Ethmia postica ETHMIINAE DEPRESSARIIDAE


The larval food plants are said to be in the BORAGINACEAE family which in this area would probably be a weed that grows in the grass, Blue heliotrope, (Heliotropium amplexicaule) which is a Native of South America, a declared weed in NSW, also attracts Darnaid butterflies

Further afield in this area, plants in Ehretia (Boraginaceae) are also food plants for this moth.
Wing span about 25 - 30mm.





Family:- DEPRESSARIIDAE
Sub Family:- ETHMIINAE
Genus:- Ethmia
Species:- postica











*************************************************************************************