End of Year

This will be the last post for this year. I will start again early next year.
I will be spend some time trying to identify the hundreds of moth photos that I have not had time to look at.
Thank you to all the people who are kind enough to keep coming back to view this blog, and the few who have written to me, I hope it has given you some pleasure. I have certainly learnt a lot from all the research necessary to do an article.

Don.

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

Heliocheilus eodora HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE

Wing span about 30mm.
I originally had this identified as Heliocheilus tenuistria HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE  but it seems to be incorrect now. The preferred name is Heliocheilus eodora.
Some synonyms:-
 Melicleptria eodora ,    
Heliothis eodora ,    
Canthylidia tenuistria.

 Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- HELIOTHINAE
Genus:- Heliocheilus
Species:- eodora










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

Heterorta plutonis ACONTIINAE NOCTUIDAE 

The wingspan is about 15 mm.
Synonym:-  Micraeschus diacaustus .

 Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- ACONTIINAE
Genus:- Heterorta
Species:- plutonis







 
Although not listed as a synonym, the moth Enispa plutonis, in Moths of Australia, (Common P455 and Fig 47.12), appears to be the same moth and is likely that it has had a name change.
The larvae are interesting in that they live in spiders webs and eat the leftovers from the spiders along with other detritus. Apparently the spiders don't mind them and they are not affected by the sticky threads.



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

 Helicoverpa assulta

 Helicoverpa assulta HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE

The species can interbreed with Helicoverpa armigera to produce viable offspring.
The larval food plants are generally in the Solonaceae family.
This is not a common moth here but we do see them occasionally.

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











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

Helicoverpa punctigera   HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE

These moths are often called "Native Budworm'
Once again the larval food plant include the same species as the other Helicovapa moths and are also considered a pest on a large variety of commercial crops.

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

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











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

Eudesmeola lawsoni

Eudesmeola lawsoni EREBINAE EREBIDAE 

Was:- Eudesmeola lawsoni CATOCALINAE NOCTUIDAE
 The larval food plant is Scrub Wilga, Geijera salicifolia (Family RUTACEAE).
For those readers not familiar with the Wilga trees you can search for Wilga on http://toowoombaplants2008.blogspot.com.au
There are a couple of articles worth reading.
With a wingspan around 70 mm it is not a small moth.

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- EREBINAE
Genus:- Eudesmeola
Species:- lawsoni

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

Helicoverpa armigera HELIOTHINAE NOCTUIDAE

The most likely larval food plant here is the common milk thistle Sonchus oleraceus, ASTERACEAE. This thistle is an imported weed but is very common here. I don't know if there are any native plants that it prefers.  The moth is also a major pest on a large variety of vegetable food crops and some ornamental plants.

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

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

 Esthlodora moths

Esthlodora variabilis HYPENINAE EREBIDAE

Was:- Esthlodora variabilis HYPENINAE NOCTUIDAE
I did a blog on this moth on Saturday, 11 April 2015, but in the interest of keeping the two Esthlodora together I have included it this week.
Once again I was unable to find much information on either of them.

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- HYPENINAE
Genus:- Esthlodora
Species:- variabilis

They can roll their wings like some of the moths from Uraniidae









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

Esthlodora versicolor HYPENINAE EREBIDAE

 Was:- Esthlodora versicolor HYPENINAE NOCTUIDAE

 

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- HYPENINAE
Genus:- Esthlodora
Species:- versicolor 

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

Ectopatria horologa NOCTUINAE NOCTUIDAE

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Rhagodia parabolica which is one of the salt bush plants we have here. It is also likely that the larvae would eat some of the other salt bushes we have in this area.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:-  NOCTUINAE
Genus:- Ectopatria
Species:- horologa

This one is in pretty poor condition and is probably at the end of its life.








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

Ectopatria Sp Poss horologa NOCTUINAE NOCTUIDAE

This moth is quite likely to be E. horologa. There are some differences in the markings, but that may  be just a natural variation.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:-  NOCTUINAE
Genus:- Ectopatria
Species:- Possibly horologa










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

 Elusa semipecten NOCTUINAE NOCTUIDAE

I couldn't find much information on these moths.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- NOCTUINAE
Genus:- Elusa
Species:- semipecten 

Once again, this second moth is missing rather a lot of scales.










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