Corgatha drosera 

Corgatha drosera ACONTIINAE EREBIDAE

This moth turned April this year (2019), just about the time I thought there can't be any more new moths. It has taken a while to identify it, but it is an attractive moth.
I do not have any information on the biology.
I think the wingspan was about 20mm.

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- ACONTIINAE
Genus:-  Corgatha
Species:- drosera

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 PHYCITINAE PYRALIDAE

No identification on this one. I have looked through thousands of photos and only found one that is a perfect match, unfortunately it was not identified. The other photo was taken near Taree on the New South Wales coast.
The fact that there is another matching photo means that it is most likely a species and not just a  variation or a damaged moth.
It is also possible the species is sexually dimorphic.

Family:- PYRALIDAE
Sub Family:- PHYCITINAE
Genus:- 
Species:-







One possible ID that I looked at, if they are sexually dimorphic,  was Creobota apodectum.

Another reader, (see in the comments), has also seen this moth in the Tambourine Mountain area.


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Elophila responsalis 

Elophila responsalis ACENTROPINAE CRAMBIDAE

I am not 100% certain of this one. I do think it is an Elophila and it is probably is E. responsalis.
In two similar species, Elophila difflualis and Elophila obliteralis (a North American moth), the larval food plants for both are waterlillys and water weeds of various sorts. It is likely that E. responsalis larvae also eat water plants.
Wing span about 19mm.

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- ACENTROPINAE
Genus:- Elophila
Species:- responsalis (Probably)

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A New Moth Book

I don't usually put any form of advertising on this site, but in this case, the book is very relevant to the cause of preserving our moth population.

The book, "Caterpillars, moths, and their plants of Southern Australia"
by Peter B. McQuillan, Jan A. Forrest, David Keane, & Roger Grund.
Published by Butterfly Conservation South Australia Inc., Adelaide, 2019,

Although not the "Every Australian Moth illustrated" I keep hoping for, this is an excellent book.
It has 208 pages and it includes some 650 photos, many of them donated by some 100 or so moth photographers around Australia.
Primarily covers the most common species in southern Australia.

There is a lot of information on the moth larvae and the plants they rely upon. Some of the material comes from new research done by hatching out the eggs and raising and photographing the caterpillars to adult. There are colour photographs of eggs, larval shelters, pupae, and cocoons.

Although not all the moths from the southern states make it to our area, there is still a lot of overlap of species.
The main use for me in my area (sub tropical) is the way the sample photos for a moth are set out. Trying to find a moth by wing pattern, shape and stance from a photo is difficult, worse if they are pinned, and having a photo of a similar moth can help find the family, then this can be followed through on the internet or in other books.
It is a good addition to my library.

The RRP is $35 but $30 online purchase. (Plus P&P).
The book is now available via the website:-  butterflyconservationsa.net.au/shop
Enquiries to info@butterflyconservationsa.net.au
Individual copies of the book via Australia Post cost $13 P&H

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