Mataeomera mesotaenia
Mataeomera mesotaenia ACONTIINAE NOCTUIDAE
It is occasionally named Catoblemma mesotaenia but this is not the accepted name.I found the photo of this moth while going through some of the hundreds of photos that I have never got around to identifying.
The moth is very similar to Mataeomera coccophaga ACONTIINAE NOCTUIDAE, which is usually found in the south and south western areas of Australia.
The moth larvae of Mataeomera mesotaenia, have an unusual food source. It is the scale insect Eriococcus coriaceus, Family ERIOCOCCIDAE. Synonym:- Acanthococcus coriaceus.
There appear to be a number of common names for this scale insect, blue gum scale, common gum scale, gum tree scale, rice bubble scale.
The scale insect is responsible for causing severe dieback and death of some eucalyptus trees particularly the young ones. It is a serious pest.
There are other preditors, including a species of Fly; ladybird beetles; parasitic wasps; other moths Stathmopoda melanochra HELIODINIDAE, which I have never seen here; and Creobota grossipunctella PYRALIDAE, not seen here either.
The moth larvae and the other preditors help to keep the number of scale insects under control. Without these constant attacks on the scale insects they would soon damage the trees.
Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- ACONTIINAE
Genus:- Mataeomera
Species:- mesotaenia
Here are some of the trees that the scale insect Eriococcus coriaceus can be found on:-
Corymbia intermedia; Melaleuca incana and the following are all Eucalypt species:- amygdalina; blakelyi; botryoides; camaldulensis; cinerea; cladocalyx; coccifera; cosmophylla; dalrympleana; eugenioides; globulus; gunnii; macarthurii; melliodora; microcarpa; nicholii; nitens; obliqua; ovata; platypus; pulchella; regnans; robusta; torquata; viminalis. All are in the family MYRTACEAE.
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NOLIDAE ELIGMINAE
This moth is in such a poor state it is not really possible to get a good identification. However it is still worth putting on the blog and hope that it can be identified in the future.
The wing patterns closely resemble those from some moths in the sub family ELIGMINAE and the genus Ochrothripa, I have seen photos of the species Ochrothripa leptochroma that are a good possible but I don't have enough confidence that it was correctly identified. Food for thought anyway.
It could possibly be Ochrothripa leptochroma ELIGMINAE NOLIDAE
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The moth Ochthophora sericina SARROTHRIPINAE NOLIDAE posted on Wednesday, 17 June 2015, is now Ochthophora sericina ELIGMINAE NOLIDAE.
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