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Wednesday 29 May 2019

Cryptophasa

Cryptophasa pultenae XYLORYCTINAE XYLORYCTIDAE

The most likely larval food plants here are Acmena smithii,(MYRTACEAE) and Syzygium paniculatum, (MYRTACEAE).
There is an article on the food plants on the blog:-
https://toowoombaplants2008.blogspot.com  on  Friday, July 26, 2013

The moths are sexually dimorphic, the male in this photo has black hindwings, the female, not pictured, has white hindwings.
The antennae of the males are always bipectinate, as are all the Cryptophasa males.
Wing span around 30mm.





Family:- XYLORYCTIDAE
Sub Family:- XYLORYCTINAE
Genus:- Cryptophasa
Species:- pultenae


























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Cryptophasa rubescens XYLORYCTINAE XYLORYCTIDAE

This is a male and is a fairly big moth with a wingspan around 50mm.
 The caterpillar of this species bores into the stems of many Acacia species, (MIMOSACEAE), then feed on the leaves which they tie to the entrance of their hole with silk.




Family:- XYLORYCTIDAE
Sub Family:- XYLORYCTINAE
Genus:- Cryptophasa
Species:- rubescens

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Wednesday 15 May 2019

Cryptophasa flavolineata

Cryptophasa flavolineata XYLORYCTINAE XYLORYCTIDAE

Wing span about 50mm.
Larval foodplant Banksia integrifolia and Syzygium oleosum.




Family:- XYLORYCTIDAE
Sub Family:- XYLORYCTINAE
Genus:- Cryptophasa
Species:- flavolineata

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Cryptophasa panleuca XYLORYCTINAE XYLORYCTIDAE 

About 40 mm wingspan.
The larval food plants are Lophostemon species (Myrtaceae).






 Family:- XYLORYCTIDAE
Sub Family:- XYLORYCTINAE
Genus:-  Cryptophasa
Species:- panleuca



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Wednesday 8 May 2019

URANIIDAE

I have previously done a Blog on URANIIDAE, on Thursday, 10 September 2015,  but here are a couple to add to that. Just a reminder, URANIIDAE have a little trick to make it difficult to identify them by rolling their wings, if you see the previous entry in Sept. 2015 above you will see what I mean. Not all of them can roll their wings, but most we get here do.
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Rhombophylla xylinopis EPIPLEMINAE URANIIDAE 1121 -4507



Family:- URANIIDAE
Sub Family:-  EPIPLEMINAE
Genus:- Rhombophylla
Species:- xylinopis





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Micronia species URANIINAE URANIIDAE





Family:- URANIIDAE
Sub Family:- URANIINAE
Genus:-  Micronia
Species:- species












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Wednesday 1 May 2019

 Asthenoptycha sphaltica

Asthenoptycha sphaltica TORTRICINAE TORTRICIDAE 

The best match I can find for this moth is mostly known from well south of here. Some times that only means that no one has bothered to collect it here, but it can also mean I have the wrong ID.
However it still is a pretty good match so I will call it a probable.





Family:- TORTRICIDAE
Sub Family:- TORTRICINAE
Genus:- Asthenoptycha (probably)
Species:- sphaltica (probably)














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Epiphyas postvittana TORTRICINAE TORTRICIDAE

This moth is a male.
The species is a pest on many plants but don't really cause us any problems here. The likely larval food plants here are :-
Grapes (VITACEAE) (The neighbors have them growing on the common fence)
Citrus trees (RUTACEAE)
Lomandra species (LAXMANNIACEAE)
Acacia species (MIMOSACEAE)
Eucalyptus species (MYRTACEAE)





Family:- TORTRICIDAE
Sub Family:- TORTRICINAE
Genus:- Epiphyas 
Species:- postvittana











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