Crambid moths

Achyra affinitalis PYRAUSTINAE CRAMBIDAE

 

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- PYRAUSTINAE
Genus:- Achyra
Species:- affinitalis

Family:- CRAMBIDAE
Sub Family:- PYRAUSTINAE
Genus:- Achyra
Species:- affinitalis



This moth is quite variable in colour, so some extra photos will help to show the range of the colour, (assuming all my IDs are correct), and the various wing positions at rest.
The larvae feed on Sunflowers, Lucern, Cotton, Sorghum and  Saltbush ( Atriplex, CHENOPODIACEAE ). The saltbush is the most likely host here. We have quite a lot of it in the yard.
They apparently pupate in a silk lined burrow in the ground.

In this last photo is a very small moth in the left of the picture. I didn't see this moth when I took the photo and was quite surprise when I put it up on the computer. This is one of the pleasures of macro photography.

                                        on the left                                                                    on the right
                                       Family:- OPOSTEGIDAE                             Family:- CRAMBIDAE
                                                                                                              Sub Family:- PYRAUSTINAE
                                                                                                              Genus:- Achyra
                                                                                                              Species:- affinitalis

I have not managed a positive identification for it yet, but if you look at the base of the antenae, you will see that there are a couple of ridges of erect scales over where the eyes are.
The super family Nepticuloidae, contains two families that have the eyecaps, Nepticulidae and Opostegidae. Only two other families have the eye caps but in those families the caps are smaller. On looking through lots of photographs of all these families, I believe the family of this moth will be OPOSTEGIDAE. If anyone can identify this moth I would appreciate it if you could let me know.


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ARCTIIDAE, Utetheisa genus

Utetheisa lotrix ARCTIINAE ARCTIIDAE
Utetheisa pulchelloides ARCTIINAE ARCTIIDAE
Although these two moths are very similar they are different species. If you look at the photo of the Utetheisa pulchelloides, you will see that I have drawn an arrow to a red spot on the tornus of the forward wing. This spot is not present in Utetheisa lotrix. There are other differences but that is the easiest one to pick.
The Utetheisa lotrix are probably the most common around here but we do get both moths depending on the season.
Utetheisa lotrix larvae feed on Crotalaria species plants while Utetheisa pulchelloides larvae feed on borinaginaceous plant species including the imported weeds Patterson's curse and heliotrope, no doubt helping to keep them under control.







Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- ARCTIINAE
Genus:- Utetheisa
Species:- lotrix









Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- ARCTIINAE
Genus:- Utetheisa
Species:- lotrix

Underside

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- ARCTIINAE
Genus:- Utetheisa
Species:- pulchelloides



The arrow points to the red spot that helps to differentiate the two species.




There is a third  Utetheisa species in Australia which is only in the Northern Territory.


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ARCTIIDAE Continued

Termessa gratiosa LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

This first moth is related to the other Termessa moths from Wednesday, 10 June 2015.

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Termessa
Species:- gratiosa











Although the colouring is different and they tend to be a smaller moth, the wing markings are similar. They are found in the south eastern corner of Australia from southern Queensland to Victoria (I.F.B Common).


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Thallarcha macilenta LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Thallarcha
Species:- macilenta









I wasn't able to find out much about this moth. Like other sub family Lithosiinae, their larvae are likely to feed on lichen.

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Thallarcha Sp Poss sparsana LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Thallarcha
Species:- Possibly sparsana







 As near as I am able to tell, this is also a member of the Thallarcha genus. There is a lot of variation between species but I have not been able to verify the identification with any certainty.

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Tigrioides alterna LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:- LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Tigrioides
Species:- alterna










One of two Australian species, found from Queensland to South Australia, also "Africa and the Oriental region" (I.F.B Common).

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 Manulea replana LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Manulea replana LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Manulea
Species:- replana









Here is another moth whose larvae live on lichen. In Moths of Australia (Common), it is suggested they live on the lichens in shaded places on rocks and cliff faces. We don't have rocks and cliffs here so they must manage on tree trunks in the denser planting at the bottom of the block, retaining walls, stairs and the like. They are quite common here during the summer months.
I don't know if the yellow patch on the middle of the wings occurs naturally or if it is caused by the loss of scales. Occasionally we see them with larger pale patches.

Manulea (Possibly) replana LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

  Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Manulea
Species:- replana (Possibly)








This one is brown rather than black. When the photo is inspected at 100% on the computer it is obvious that it has lost quite a number of scales. I think it is most likely to be M. replana.
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Palaeosia bicosta LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Palaeosia
Species:- bicosta 









Very similar to Manulea replana but it does not have the dot on the thorax.


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Continuing the Family Arctiidae

Heliosia jucunda LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Heliosia
Species:- jucunda



Many of the Lithosiinae moths have black and yellow colouring. Also check out the Termessa moths on the page for Wednesday, 10 June 2015.




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Stenoscaptia venusta LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Stenoscaptia
Species:- venusta









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More Lichen Moths

Eilema plana LITHOSIINAE ARCTIIDAE

(Common name: Little White Lichen Moth)

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Eilema
Species:- plana



Like most of the Lithosiinae moths, the larvae probably feed on Lichens. Some species may also feed on mosses or algae. 

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Hectobrocha pentacyma LITHOSIINAE  ARCTIIDAE

 Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  LITHOSIINAE
Genus:- Hectobrocha
Species:- pentacyma




I couldn't find out much about this moth except that the larvae probably feed on algae or dead leaves.

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Aloa marginata ARCTIINAE ARCTIIDAE

Sometimes when I start researching a moth to put on this blog, I find there are a number of different names for a moth which seem to be referring to just one physical moth. I then do a search for synonyms. The results can be quite surprising, as in this case.

Although all the references would appear to be referring to the one moth, many of the sites do not have a picture, or at least a decent picture of the moth and since the moth is an "extremely variable species" (Common, Moths of Australia P435), having a great variation in the black markings on the wings, and the colour of the the wings at times can be a bit pink. The abdomen in the case of the photo I have put in, is red, but it can also be yellow. No doubt when or if the DNA of the moth is examined it may turn out there are many moths or many colours to the one moth.

You can imagine, with the technology of the early 1800's it was easy to assume that there were many species where at present there appears to be just one variable one.
For the purposes of this post, I will use the name from  Australian Moths link in the right hand column of the blog page. This is an excellent site and I can highly recommend it to anyone interested not only in moths, since the other areas of the site cover butterflies and the larvae of both.

Aloa marginata ARCTIINAE ARCTIIDAE 

Family:- ARCTIIDAE
Sub Family:-  ARCTIINAE
Genus:- Aloa
Species:- marginata




Below are some possible synonyms. Be aware there is a possibility they may be incorrect. Such is the nature of the internet!
Synonyms (some)
    Paramsacta marginata
    Phalaena marginata
    Aloa marginata
    Areas roseicostis
    Areas punctipennis
    Amsacta flaveola
    Paramsacta pura
    Amsacta eurymochla
    Bombyx marginata
    Amsacta marginata simplicans
By the way, it can also have a common name of "Donovan's Tiger Moth" having been named by a (Mr)Donovan in 1805.



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