Wednesday, 11 November 2009

Mothing - 10th / 11th November

I put the trap out for the first time in ages last night. It wasn't until around 10 pm that I got it set up. At around 11 pm I went and checked it. Wow! I'd caught a blow fly :-) A breeze was picking up and the temperature had started to drop but as no rain was expected, I decided to leave it running overnight.

In the morning, aside from the rather conspicuous Helena Gum moth, it seemed the box was empty but a little searching in the nooks and crannies soon produced a few moths.

If anyone has any suggestions regarding the Paralaea sp or the micro, that would be greatly appreciated.

(Click on photos to enlarge)
Saturniidae - Female Helena Gum Moth - Opodiphthera helena after release
This is only the second I've seen this spring, the first being at Somerset on 3rd November.

Pyralidae - Gauna aegusalis
showing it's strange resting posture


Geometridae - Paralaea sp


A micro which I have not yet put a name to.


Noctuidae - Praxis -porphyretica


Noctuidae - Agrotis porphyricollis
in one of it's many forms



Geometridae - Capusa senilis


Also seen but not photographed was the Geometrid, Hypobapta percomptaria and quite a few Diamondback Moths, Plutella xylostella.




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9 comments:

  1. AYDIN ÖRSTANNovember 11, 2009

    The posture of Gauna aegusalis is very interesting. Never seen it before.

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  2. MosuraNovember 11, 2009

    Thanks AYDIN ÖRSTAN - It looks even stranger front on. Click here for another photo I took this morning.

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  3. Junior LepidNovember 11, 2009

    Nice catch Mosura.

    I got H. percompteraria last night, (mine is darker than yours) plus Cryphaea xylina on the sheet. They will be blogged in due course.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Junior LepidNovember 11, 2009

    Gee, I'm psychic, Mosura didn't actually photograph H. percomptaria yet I knew mine was darker - LOL. :-)

    Nevermind!

    ReplyDelete
  5. MosuraNovember 11, 2009

    Thanks JL - Psychic eh? Maybe you could tell me if it's worth putting the trap out again tonight :-)

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  6. LoriNovember 12, 2009

    Hi Mosura, I'm a frequent viewer/lurker of/at your blog, as I too live in Tasmania and enjoy photographing the flora and fauna.

    I photographed this moth yesterday. I think it's a Bucculatrix sp., but couldn't get further than that. Any ideas? Great blog, btw.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MosuraNovember 12, 2009

    Thanks Lori - It's one of the Plume Moths - family Pterophoridae. Yours looks to be the Horehound Plume Moth, Wheeleria spilodactylus. It was intoduced to Tasmania in 1997 as a biological control for horehound.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LoriNovember 14, 2009

    Thanks for the ident Mosura. I did wonder if it was an introduced species.

    It's moth-o-paloozza at our house right now. Two days ago I spent the evening watching dozens of species drawn to the light coming through our sliding glass door. Also on hand were two Huntsman spiders laying in wait on the glass - picking off the less wary leps.

    ReplyDelete
  9. MosuraNovember 14, 2009

    Thanks Lori - moth-o-paloozza! I like that :-)

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