Another Moth Night!

It has been raining nightly for some weeks now. So it was with some interest that we accepted Melissa's invitation to set up our light sheet on her protected porch in the hills behind Smithfield. This is at the base of the Kuranda Range and we were happy to see much native vegetation and a perfect place to set up a light sheet. It was typical lowland rainforest at about 100 m elevation.

Here are some of the moths. Some are common but they make a colourful display. Check Buck Richardson's link for some 900 species identified for the region. This is just a small part of the total number of moths that must occur in our rainforests. The smaller moths, the microleps, are not included and they are a huge part of the total number of species that must be present.

Identifications can also be derived from the Australian Moths Online site and checking the recent Guidebook to Australian Moths by Zborowski and Edwards. Note: most of the Pyralidae are now considered by some to be in the family Crambidae.

Eudocima iridescens; Noctuidae female

Eudocima iridescens, Noctuidae, female

Eumelea stipata Turner; Geometridae

Eumelea rosalia (Stoll); Geometridae

Ischyja sp.; Noctuidae

Ischyja sp.; Noctuidae
Maruca vitrata; Pyralidae (Note distinctive stance)
Maruca vitrata; Pyralidae

Aetholix flavibasalis; Pyralidae

Saroba trimaculata; Noctuidae

Strepsinoma foveata; Pyralidae

Palpita limbata (Butler); Pyralidae
Eugoa sp.; Arctiidae

Glyphodes caesalis Walker; Pyralidae

Agrioglypta itysalis.; Pyralidae
Striglina cinnamomea; Thyrididae

Lasiolopha saturata (Walker); Nolidae

Parotis sp.; Pyralidae

Gerontha acrosthenia Zagulajev; Tineidae. Note the hind legs protrude like "tails".

?Acrocercops sp.; Gracillariidae

Conogethes pluto (Butler); Pyralidae

Dichomeris ochreoviridella; Gelechiidae

Anticrates metreta (Turner); Lacturidae

Tropidtamba lepraota; Noctuidae

Oxyodes scrobiculata; Noctuidae

Mecodina praecipua Walker; Noctuidae

Chrysothyridia invertalis; Pyralidae

Asota caricae euroa Rothschild; Aganaidae

Asota heliconia dama (Fabricius); Aganaidae

Tridrepana lunulata (Butler); Drepanidae

Astatochroa fuscimargo (Warren); Drepanidae

Antitrygodes parvimacula; Geometridae