A session at home to check on cold weather moths from the garden, and the arrivals were predictable with no surprises, except perhaps for a late and very worn male Batwing Moth. First, two moths from the Chlenias banksiaria group showing variation in colour intensity.

A nice Plesanemma fucata, also close to the end of the  flight period.

Several Ectopatria horologa came in, not surprising as there is now a lot of the larval food plant Einadia nutans growing on the property. This was a nicely marked individual.

Two small Geometrids that fly throughout the year, Poecilasthena pulchraria and anthodes.

Epyaxa subidaria also flies throughout the year, this was a nice specimen.

A very fresh male Paralaea porphyrinaria showing off its antennae, click to enlarge.

Something different now, quite often after returning from working at the reserve or collecting firewood, a stowaway will be discovered in the tray of the ute. Here is the latest, an Anthela acuta larva, snapped as it wandered across the tailgate. Click to enlarge.

For this outing on a cool, calm, late autumn night, a location with a good mix of tree species, four Eucalypts, two Wattles, and Cherry Ballart was chosen. The first moth in, an Anthela repleta, landed on the ground three metres from the light and remained there all night.

It was soon followed by the first of many male Batwing Moths, Chelepteryx collesi.

All previous encounters with this moth have been with males, a female has never come in to the light, but on this occasion after twelve males had arrived and settled down after flapping around, a big female came in to join the party.

And not to be outdone a female White-stemmed Wattle Moth, Chelepteryx chalepteryx also came in. The larvae of this species feed on Wattles and Cherry Ballart.

Another female to arrive was a Gum Rough-head, Hylaeora eucalypti.

Autumn is Fisera season, and a number of Fisera hypoleuca came to the light, exhibiting quite a range of markings. It is a genus that according to MOV Volume 5 requires further revision due to the number of forms yet to be named.

Fisera hypoleuca.

Fisera species with intermediate characteristics.

A lucky find was this Elusive White Spot, Opsirhina lechriodes, (Lasiocampidae) a species with only a relatively small number of Victorian records documented in MOV Volume 1.

Four years ago at another location thirty five kilometres away, at this time of year, Fisera hypoleuca were also plentiful, and during the night a very unusual form of Plesanemma fucata appeared. On this night one of very similar appearance came in, just a coincidence? or is there another explanation….

To conclude, this female Paralaea was very grey, but has pale chestnut veins on the forewings which would make it a grey colour form of P. porphyrinaria.

Most images will enlarge.