Moths of Central and East Gippsland
Another check under the Snowy River Wattle while gardening revealed a lot more empty Oxycanus australis pupa cases than first noted three weeks ago, and after being collected the number came to a rather astonishing seventy five.
As mentioned in the previous post the larvae feed on acacia roots, and as can be seen in the first picture they certainly haven’t bothered the shrub that continues to bud up and thrive and put on new growth at the base after being cut back.
Flight records for this Hepialid are from March until June, with May the main month, and right on cue, on a night with light rain, about a dozen came into the house lights. After photos the lights were extinguished to allow them to go about their business of putting the next generation into production. Australis is very similar to dirempta, but can be identified by the longer rami on the antennae, up to three times the width of the shaft. (MOV 6)
Female.
Males.
The larvae feed on the roots of acacias, five species of which are garden subjects. A search for empty pupa cases under the acacias revealed that the Snowy River Wattle, Acacia boormanii was the host, a rough count coming to twenty five.
Case beside exit hole.
