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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Etanna breviuscula 

 Etanna breviuscula CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

Was:- Nanaguna breviuscula SARROTHRIPINAE NOLIDAE

Although I originally identified this moth as Nanaguna breviuscula SARROTHRIPINAE NOLIDAE, the current accepted name is Etanna breviuscula. Many sites on the internet are still treating  Nanaguna breviuscula as an equal alternative. If you look up the other synonyms for this moth you will find a long list of alternatives.

Larval food plants include Grevillea  species (Proteaceae) and Melaleuca (Myrtaceae).
wing span is about 20mm.  We have some of both these plants here.

Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- CHLOEPHORINAE
Genus:- Etanna
Species:- breviuscula






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Nola pygmaeodes NOLINAE NOLIDAE

 Although I was not able to find a definite larval food plant for this moth, there were a number of plants listed for other members of the genus, and of those, the most likely host here is Melaleuca (Myrtaceae).

 Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- NOLINAE
Genus:- Nola
Species:- pygmaeodes







 Nola species moths can be quite difficult to identify because many of them have not been identified yet, and many only appear on the internet and in books as a photo with a number.


Another example of a Nola moth:-   Nola epicentra Wednesday, 17 June 2015


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NOLIDAE NOLINAE Nola Sp  9626 - 6853

Below is another moth that I think is a Nola Sp, but I have not been able to identify it yet. It is tiny and covered with tufts of scales. It may be another Nola epicentra.

Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- NOLINAE
Genus:- Nola (possibly)
Species:- Sp 9626 - 6853










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Austrocarea iocephala 

Austrocarea iocephala CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

It is likely that the larval food plant is a Brachychiton (STERCULIACEAE).
We have a number of trees in this family.
They have been known to feed on the Little Kurrajong ( Brachychiton bidwillii, STERCULIACEAE ).

Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- CHLOEPHORINAE
Genus:- Austrocarea
Species:- iocephala

We quite often see them with these large dark patches on the fore wing. the patches vary in size and darkness.













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Earias luteolaria CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

 These moths are common through much of the Asia Pacific area and India. The host plant varies depending on the local plants available.
The larval food plant here is most likely our native Hibiscus (Malvaceae).

Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- CHLOEPHORINAE
Genus:- Earias 
Species:- luteolaria











Two other blog entries for Earias species were on  Wednesday, 27 January 2016.

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Updated posts:-

Ozarba chrysaspis and Ozarba punctigera Wednesday, 28 March 2018, Updated 22/6/18
A likely larval food plant added.

A faster internet  connection has made available sites that were not previously producing results.

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Armactica columbina

Armactica columbina BAGISARINAE NOCTUIDAE

Was:- Armactica columbina CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

I thought I had finished with the Noctuid moths for the time being, but it seems that a number of what used to be Nolidae moths are now in other families. In this case the Armactica seem to have been moved twice since I took the original photos of these moths. The various sites on the internet and my books are all over the place with the placement of these moths. As usual, I will stick to the placement as used on BOLD systems web site.

With the light at the right angle, this is a quite spectacular moth as you can see in the photo with the wings spread.

 Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:-  BAGISARINAE
Genus:-  Armactica
Species:- columbina

Although the larvae are said to have been found on Cordia subcordata, in the  family Boraginaceae, (the borage and forget-me-not family), and includes other shrubs, trees, and herbs, this is not a local native plant here.

Boraginaceae plants in general, are not common here, and the only one we have in that family is heliotrope (Heliotropium spp.). It is an introduced weed that is now very common, having been introduced as yet another garden plant and has escaped into the wild.
Wingspan of this moth is about 40mm. The grid in the fly screen is about 2mm.


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 Armactica conchidia BAGISARINAE NOCTUIDAE

Was:- Armactica conchidia CHLOEPHORINAE NOLIDAE

This moth is sexually dimorphic. The female has the dark triangle on the fore wing.
There are a couple of instances on the internet that appear to have the male and female identification back to front.
This moth also seems to have quite a number of synonyms, but since I could not find any real information under the various names there is not much point in including them here.
I was not able to find the larval food plants.
This moth is said to be more common in the drier inland than on the coastal areas.
Wing span about 30mm

 

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- BAGISARINAE
Genus:- Armactica
Species:- conchidia 

This one is a male.

The moths to the left and below are females.
Although the photo with open wings is rather blurred, it still gives a good idea of the rear wing colouring.

We get a bit of variation in the fore wing colouring from darker grey to light grey.

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Grammodes diagarmma

Grammodes diagarmma EREBINAE EREBIDAE

 I would like to thank another moth hunter,  Nick ("dustaway" on Flickr), for identifying this moth.
The moths have been recorded in Australia at Kalpowar near Monto in Queensland, at Dandabah in the Bunya Mountains Queensland, and Mackay in Queensland and Derby in Western Australia and, of course, now here in Toowoomba Queensland.

Although I could not find anything definite about the larval food plants, moths from the genus Grammodes in Australia, apparently are frequently found on plants in the family EUPHORBIACEAE.
It is therefore possible that larvae of Grammodes diagarmma may also be found on these plants. We do have some of these plants.

Family:- EREBIDAE
Sub Family:- EREBINAE
Genus:-  Grammodes
Species:- diagarmma








You will notice the fore wing pattern is very similar to moths in the genus Achaea, particularly A.janata.
See blog entries:-
Achaea janata EREBINAE EREBIDAE Wednesday, 21 Jun 2017
Achaea serva EREBINAE EREBIDAE Wednesday, 21 Jun 2017
Also the genera Dysgonia and Ophiusa and to some extent Parallelia, which is in the Tribe Poaphilini (Erebidae, Erebinae). Dysgonia and Ophiusa belong to the Tribe Ophiusini in the subfamily Erebinae in the Erebidae family.
The larval food plants of all these moths tend to be similar but will vary depending on their location. Many of these moths are spread world wide.

Other Grammodes moths on the blog:-
Grammodes justa CATOCALINAE NOCTUIDAE Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Grammodes ocellata CATOCALINAE NOCTUIDAE Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Grammodes pulcherrima CATOCALINAE NOCTUIDAE Wednesday, 1 July 2015

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That concludes the moths from Noctuidae and Erebidae for the time being. I will revisit them later when I have gone through the rest of the families. DG.
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Acatapaustus leucospila NOLINAE NOLIDAE

I was not able to find anything on this moths biology, however, the larval food plant for a member of the genus Acatapaustus, in New Guinea, is Eucalyptus deglupta, Myrtaceae.
It is likely that one of the Eucalypts may also be the larval food plant for A. leucospila.

Family:- NOLIDAE
Sub Family:- NOLINAE
Genus:- Acatapaustus
Species:- leucospila

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Tiracola plagiata 

Tiracola plagiata NOCTUINAE NOCTUIDAE 

A very common pest internationally on a large variety of plants.
Here are the ones most likely on our place.
Red Cedar ( Toona australis, MELIACEAE ),
Banana ( Musa acuminata, MUSACEAE ),
Gum Tree young growth ( Eucalyptus, MYRTACEAE ),
Wing span about 50mm.

 Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- NOCTUINAE
Genus:- Tiracola
Species:- plagiata

The colour of the adult moth can vary from light to dark.















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Zalissa catocalina AGARISTINAE NOCTUIDAE

One site quotes a very similar species, Zalissa pratti, as a synonym while another includes it as a sub species, Zalissa catocalina pratti.
The larvae are said to feed on grape vines but when I chased down the source quoted I could find no reference to them feeding on grape vines.

They are another moth that often lands with its wings upright.

Family:- NOCTUIDAE
Sub Family:- AGARISTINAE
Genus:- Zalissa
Species:- catocalina

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