The end of the project

The two moths I have added today brings the total of moths I have put on this Blog to over 500.

This is far more than I ever believed possible from our one hectare block, and it has taken 6 years and a great deal of time searching out photos and information to try to identify the various species where possible.

Although I still have photos that I have not been able to identify, they probably will remain unidentified. The amount of time needed to identify the more difficult moths makes it a less pleasant task.

I will continue to monitor the Blog and will continue to follow the moths here and will put any identifiable moths on the blog, however the combination of severe drought, local habitat changes and a massive drop in the number of all insects makes it less likely we will see any new moths.

I hope visitors to this Blog have enjoyed the moths and what little information I have been able to provide, it has been a wonderful learning experience for me.
 Happy Mothing
Don

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Parotis Poss marginata SPILOMELINAE CRAMBIDAE

There are a couple of species it could be, but the most likely it is P. marginata.
The most likely larval food plant here is a Jasmin species (RUBIACEAE).
Wing span about 35mm.

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- SPILOMELINAE
Genus:- Parotis
Species:- marginata (Probably)







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Euphiltra epilecta WINGIA GROUP OECOPHORINAE OECOPHORIDAE

Wing span about 12mm.

Family:- OECOPHORIDAE
Sub Family:- OECOPHORINAE
Genus:- Euphiltra
Species:- epilecta











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Diatenes aglossoides 

Diatenes aglossoides EREBINAE EREBIDAE 

With a wing span around 40mm they are a fairly large moth.
They are fairly common throughout Australia including the inland, but less so in the wetter southeast and southwest areas of the country
The larval food plants are Wattles (Acacia, MIMOSACEAE).

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- EREBINAE
Genus:- Diatenes
Species:- aglossoides






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Uresiphita ornithopteralis PYRAUSTINAE CRAMBIDAE

Sometimes called the tree lucerne moth.  It is found on the east coast of Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia. It is also found in New Zealand. The larval food plants here are likely to be Fabaceae species and Hovea species.
The wingspan is about 30 mm.

I have added a dark version and a lighter version because there is quite a bit of variation at times.

 Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- PYRAUSTINAE
Genus:- Uresiphita
Species:-  ornithopteralis


Darker version.

 Light version.

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Oenochroma turneri 

Just when I thought we had run out of new moths, this  Oenochroma turned up on the window early in the morning a couple of days ago.

Oenochroma turneri OENOCHROMINAE GEOMETRIDAE

Food plants are Macadamia and a Weeping fig, although it is likely other figs would also be eaten. We have both Macadamia and several fig trees.
Wing span about 65mm.

 Family:- GEOMETRIDAE
Sub Family:- OENOCHROMINAE
Genus:- Oenochroma
Species:- turneri

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Elaeonoma deltacostamela OECOPHORINAE OECOPHORIDAE

Was:- Eulechria deltacostamela
Larval food plant listed for the previous name, Eulechria deltacostamela, is dead Eucalyptus leaves.
Wing span about 15mm.

Family:- OECOPHORIDAE
Sub Family:- OECOPHORINAE
Genus:- Elaeonoma
Species:- deltacostamela












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Xanthodes congenita

Xanthodes congenita BAGISARINAE NOCTUIDAE

The most likely larval food plants here are Kurrajong ( Brachychiton, STERCULIACEAE ) and they are also said to feed on Hibiscus, but the only one we have here is Hibiscus heterophyllus, (MALVACEAE).

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- BAGISARINAE
Genus:- Xanthodes
Species:- congenita









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Anestia semiochrea ARCTIINAE EREBIDAE

This is a male, the females can't fly. The colouring of the fore wing of the males varies quite a lot and this has caused a number of synonyms, Xanthodule semiochrea and Anestia ombrophanes are just a couple.
Wing span is around 15mm.
Larval food plant is likely to be Lichen and possibly also Algae.

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- ARCTIINAE
Genus:- Anestia
Species:- semiochrea







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