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Thursday, 10 September 2015

Family Uraniidae



 Family:- URANIIDAE
Sub Family:- EPIPLEMINAE
Genus:- Phazaca
Species:- interupta (possibly)

Some of the moths of this family are able to change their wing shape at rest, by rolling their wings.
While most of the family are day flying moths, the ones in this post were photographed when they came to light at night.
While they can separate and roll their wings, they will often spread their wings out flat as well. This can make them quite difficult to identify.
I have included a variety of wing shapes to give some idea of the variety.




Family:- URANIIDAE
Sub Family:- EPIPLEMINAE
Genus:- Dirades
Species:- lugens (possibly)




There are a few moths belonging to other families that are capable of rolling their wings.
Another notable feature of the family is that they have abdominal hearing organs. Yes, some moths can hear.
A notable member Uraniidae, is the large day flying Zodiac moth (Alcides metaurus). It looks and acts like a butterfly but is a moth. It is said to come as far south as Mackay. I recently saw one in the botanic gardens there, and saw many at a beach picnic area near Innisfail North Queensland.