Family Geometridae

The Family Geometridae are often called Loopers or Inchworms, because their way of moving by bringing the back legs up to the forward end creating a loop, then stretching out with the forward portion. This has the advantage of being able to cover a greater distance quicker than walking.

Antictenia punctunculus OENOCHROMINAE GEOMETRIDAE

Family:- GEOMETRIDAE
Sub Family:- OENOCHROMINAE
Genus:- Antictenia
Species:- punctunculus

Anisozyga insperata GEOMETRINAE GEOMETRIDAE

NOTE the name change below.
The adults of the Genus Anisozyga are sexually dimorphic. That is, the males and the females look quite different. This photo is a female, the males being green with white markings.  In our case they are probably feeding on Angophora  (MYRTACEAE).

EDITED April 2019:- The accepted name for this moth is now Eucyclodes insperata

Family:- GEOMETRIDAE
Sub Family:- GEOMETRINAE
Genus:- Eucyclodes  was Anisozyga
Species:- insperata

Aporoctena scierodes ENNOMINAE GEOMETRIDAE

Family:- GEOMETRIDAE
Sub Family:- ENNOMINAE
Genus:- Aporoctena
Species:- scierodes





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Gelechiidae

continued

Hemiarcha tetrasticta GELECHIIDAE

 Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:-
Genus:- Hemiarcha
Species:- tetrasticta



Positive identification of this moth is not certain. Although a reasonably good match from other photos, there is a lot of variation in the markings. Although we often see them here, most of the samples in collections seem to be taken in the far north tropics. This may simply mean no one has yet collect them here.


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Stegasta variana GELECHIINAE GELECHIIDAE

 

Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:- GELECHIINAE
Genus:- Stegasta
Species:- variana

 As the species name suggests, there is some variation in the colouring and pattern of the wing markings. These photos match up well with other samples.
The larvae are said to feed on Senna bushes, Caesalpiniacea family and this is likely to be the host plant here.
  





 This concludes the photos of Gelechiid moths for the present. Looking through my files I still have hundreds of photos waiting to be identified and there are sure to be more to come.

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Gelechiidae

 The family Gelechiidae is one of around 17 members I have found listed
from the super family Gelechioidea.
They are small, with a wingspan around 10 to 12mm. They have sharp sickle shaped upturned labial palpi and simple antennae.
There are about 800 recorded species in Australia.




Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:- ANACAMPSINAE
Genus:-  Chaliniastis
Species:- astrapaea

Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:- GELECHIINAE
Genus:- Macrenches
Species:- clerica

Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:- GELECHIINAE
Genus:- Macrenches
Species:- eurybatis










The main visible difference between the last two is that M. eurybatis has cream wings with a dark stripe and M. clerica has white with a dark stripe.

Family:- GELECHIIDAE
Sub Family:- BRACHMIINAE
Genus:- Anaptilora
Species:- homoclera









All these moths are easy to overlook on the window at night. They generally fold their wings close to their bodies making a slim form around 5mm long.

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Hellula Species CRAMBIDAE

 Hellula hydralis GLAPHYRIINAE CRAMBIDAE

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- GLAPHYRIINAE
Genus:- Hellula
Species:- hydralis








A small common moth on the east coast. The larvae are pests on Brassicaceae and are particularly bad pests on Canola.

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 Hellula undalis GLAPHYRIINAE CRAMBIDAE

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- GLAPHYRIINAE
Genus:-  Hellula
Species:- undalis









Less common than Hellula hydralis (above). They also feed on Brassicaceae, eating out the growing centre of the plant.

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Hednota bifractellus

 Hednota bifractellus CRAMBINAE CRAMBIDAE

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- CRAMBINAE
Genus:- Hednota
Species:- bifractellus

This is another grass moth. Common down the east coast of Australia. The larvae are likely to live silk galleries in or around the grasses which may include Lomandra species. We have quite a lot of Lomandra so it is likely to be the larval food here.

 

 

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