Month: June 2016

Timber Moths.

Moths in the family Xylorictidae are known as Timber Moths, and as the common name suggests, many of the larvae tunnel into wood. The adult moths feature upturned sickle-shaped palps, and in many cases beautiful antennae. My first encounter with these moths was in February 2010 when this beautiful species came to the light at home, the larva had probably made its tunnel home in one of the garden trees, possibly Eucalyptus punctata or Acacia floribunda that both show the signs in the trunks. It is a species of Cryptophasa that apparently has not yet been named.

Continuing with the genus Cryptophasa, in November a year later, C. irrorata came to the light, also at home.

Also in November, 2013, a species close to irrorata came in at Providence Ponds, it is very aptly named, Cryptophasa albacosta, referring to the white leading edges of the fore wings.

A mothing session by the Macalister River in late December 2011 saw a number of Cryptophasa rubescens come in to the light. There were a lot of colour variations as can be seen from the images. As above, shots of the moths fluttering up the sheet are included to show the hind wings.

During the same night a small timber moth came in, Lichenaula calligrapha.

Another attractive small species that turns up regularly is Tymbophora peltastis, the larvae of this species don’t use a tunnel for a home but make a shelter of leaves and frass bound with silk. The sickle shaped palps are very evident in this image.

Also showing impressive palps are two specimens of Leistarcha scitissimella, the first photographed at Fairy Dell in February 2015, the second at Glenmaggie in October of the same year.

Maroga melanostigma was formerly an acacia based moth but is now a serious pest of fruit trees etc., this moth probably came from one of our Acacia floribundas that have lots of damage.

The larvae of these moths mostly feed on foliage, but others eat bark, the cambium layer, or lichens. (I McMillan, Xyloryctine Moths of Australia) The following two images are of an unknown species of timber moth’s front and back doors to its tunnel home in a small Acacia melanoxylon, complete with larder. The larva has gone out at night to harvest leaves, and then secured them with silk to be eaten at its leisure.

For further reading and information on this interesting family visit Ian McMillan’s site .

Thanks to P Marriott and I McMillan for identification help.

Other references.

Australian Moths

Lepidoptera Barcode of Life

 

 

Glenmaggie.

The typical forest of the higher ground around Lake Glenmaggie is box/ironbark, ie. Eucalyptus polyanthemos and tricarpa, with E. macroryncha. There is a property by the lake with this forest type that has not been burnt for over fifty years, and consequently is very open. The understory includes the occasional Exocarpos cupressiformis, restricted patches of the ubiquitous Kunzea ericoides, with Acacia pycnantha, and lower to the ground, Stypandra glauca, Platysace lanceolata, and Hibbertia obtusifolia to name a few. The terrestrial orchid population is  quite rich with Caleana major, Paracaleana minor, Calochilus paludosus, Diuris sulphurea, Thelymitra ixioides, and Caladenias catenata, carnea and fuscata to name some of the more eye catching species. When this country is burnt it quickly becomes almost impenetrable, due to profuse regeneration of the Golden Wattle and Burgan, and much of the orchid flora is choked out.

Close to the lake this vegetation grades into the red gum country of the submerged Macalister River valley. The ground flora found there includes heathland plants like Grass Trigger Plant, Bulbine and Chocolate Lilies,  with Pterostylis species, and occurrences of Grevillea lanigera, and Cryptandra amara, both latter species unfortunately declining.

The moth fauna in the block has proved to be abundant and diverse, thanks largely to the fact that it has escaped bushfire for so long, and some worthwhile records have been made during several surveys. The last occasion was in early May when the magnificent autumn flying Batwing Moth, Chelepteryx collesi (Anthelidae) is on the wing, and they didn’t disappoint with a number of males coming in to the light during the session.

Also to the light in numbers was another autumn flying species, Fisera hypoleuca, (Nacophorini), females except for one male, identified by its pectinate antennae.

Female.

Male.

Continuing with autumn flying moths in the Nacophorini, male and female Smyriodes trigramma, the female is quite different to the male.

Male

Female

Plesanemma fucata is a lovely moth.

The next moth is another to which a name cannot be confidently applied, it is a Stibaroma species, and in MOV 5 it is designated (sp 1). Again a male moth, the larvae feed on eucalypt foliage as do the larvae of all the above moths.

And lastly in this group, Thalaina selenaea, the plain-winged form. Another form with a diagonal line on the wings is of more westerly distribution. The pose in this  photograph is not the norm, but is featured for its humorous aspect. The larvae of this moth feed on wattle foliage.

The next moth is another Geometrid, an Emerald, Chlorocoma assimilis, (Geometrinae) it can be identified by its plain wings, the red tinge on the shoulder and tip of the leading edge of the fore wing, and the yellow dorsal stripe.

The last moth in this autumn collection from the box/ironbark is a small Nolid that has the characteristics of Nola pleurosema, (Nolinae) but with colour differences.

All moths photographed during this session can be seen here.

References.
P Marriott
M Hewish
Moths of Victoria Volumes 2, 4, and 5.

Click images to enlarge.