Three Arthropodean Visitors

..... a moth, a beetle, and a spider.

While I have not been actively searching for interesting spiders and insects, I have crossed paths with several over the last week or so..

1. Southern Old Lady Moth

Southern Old Lady Moth, Dasypodia selenophora - Close up showing labial palps and coiled proboscis

Southern Old Lady Moth, Dasypodia selenophora - Dorsal view

Southern Old Lady Moth, Dasypodia selenophora -  Detail of wing scales

 (click to enlarge)

The Southern Old Lady Moth, Dasypodia selenophora, can be found in the southern half of Australia, as well as Norfolk Island, New Zealand and Macquarie Island. One particular Southern Old Lady Moth can currently be found in my house. They like to hide in dark places by day and so they often come into houses or other buildings.  After taking the above photos, I wanted to coax it onto some glass so I could photograph the underside. However, the sprightly old lady made it's escape and has not been seen since.

Why is it called "Old Lady"?  Probably for the same reason as another moth of the same name in Britain. The pattern was said to be like that on an old lady's shawl. Another common name for this species, Golden Cloak Moth, suggests a similar meaning.

So how do the moths get down to Macquarie Island (1546 kilometres south of Hobart). Apparently they hitch a ride on prefrontal airflows (northerly winds) ahead of cold fronts.  In one such event it was estimated that the Old Ladies, flying at 300m asl, could have reached Macquarie Island in under 10 hours. A nocturnal temperature inversion kept the temperature at above 5C.  They would have been traveling at around 100 m.p.h. What a ride!

2. Fuller's Rose Weevil

Fuller's Rose Weevil - Asynonychus cervinus - Lateral View (Click to enlarge)

This 8mm long, beetle was found in the garden on the underside of our rhubarb leaves. Some one on the Bowerbird web site has identified it as Fuller's Rose Weevil (Asynonychus cervinus). It is an introduced pest in Australia and many other countries, probably originating from Central and South America.   It has a large number of host plants but is best known as a pest of citrus. So, you may wonder,  why is it named Rose Weevil? According to the University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department, this weevil "caused considerable damage to winter roses when it was first reported in the United States from California in 1879."

The elytra (wing covers) are actually fused together rendering this evil wee weevil flightless.  Another interesting facet of this beetles life is that it reproduces parthenogenetically. (no male required). In fact only females have been recorded.

3. Cupboard Spider

 

Cupboard Spider, Steatoda grossa. -  Lateral View  - (click to enlarge)

Cupboard Spider, Steatoda grossa. - Oblique  Dorsal View  (click to  enlarge)

While sorting out a large wooden box full of old blacksmith's tools I came across a relative of the infamous Redback spider Latrodectus hasseltii. It's known as the Cupboard Spider, Steatoda grossa. Like the weevil above, this is a cosmopolitan species but it is considered to be a native of Europe, including Britain.

Are they dangerous to humans? There is at least one well documented case of a  22-year-old female bitten on the shoulder by a Cupboard spider. She developed nausea, vomiting, and severe local and regional pain; symptoms similar to that  caused by the bite of Latrodectus spiders such as the Redback..  In fact, the symptoms were succesfully treated with Redback spider antivenom.



References:

• Common I.F.B. (1990) Moths of Australia - Melbourne University Press
• Greenslade P., Farrow R. A., and Smith J. M. B. (1999). Long distance migration of insects to a subantarctic island. - Journal of Biogeography 26 , 1161–1167.
• Graudins, Andis; Gunja, Narendra; Broady, Kevin W.; Nicholson, Graham M. (June 2002). "Clinical and in vitro Evidence for the Efficacy of Australian Red-back Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) Antivenom in the Treatment of Envenomation by a Cupboard Spider (Steatoda grossa)". - Toxicon (Case report) 40 (6): 767–75.
• Gyeltshen, J. and A. Hodges. (2006, revised 2012) Fuller Rose Beetle, Naupactus godmanni (Crotch) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae). - Entomology and Nematology. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS. 

Heliotrope Moth (at last)

.....Utetheisa pulchelloides

Yesterday I spotted what looked like a small white butterfly. When I tracked it down to where it had landed I was thrilled to see it was my first Helliotrope moth. For some reason it seemed like every one else was seeing these moths except me. I've waited for four years to see this little beauty of a moth. The common name comes from the fact that they are known to feed on (among other things) the weed Heliotrope - Heliotropium europaeum.

In the evening I put the moth trap out for a few hours and it brought in another two of the moths and a fourth was found in a nearby wattle. So, I guess on average I've now seen one a year since moving back to Australia :-)

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Heliotrope Moth - Utetheisa pulchelloides

Heliotrope Moth - Utetheisa pulchelloides

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A New Moth for the Backyard

..... Porela albifinis (Walker, 1855)

Well technically I didn't see it in the backyard; I found it in the bathroom as the light had been left on with the window open. It's the first new moth I've seen for a while as I have not been putting the light trap out. Now that I have a camera again I hope to get a few nights of mothing in this side of winter. I just have to wait for the rain and wind to stop. In Tassie that may be considered wishful thinking :-)

The moth is Porela albifinus of the family Lasiocampidae.

(Click to enlarge)

Female White-tailed Porela - Porela albifinis

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Mothing - Late November 2009

I have so many moth photos taken from mid to late November that it would not be practical to post them all. I've included a small selection below. I've also included some unidentified moths which you may be able to help with.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Helena Gum Moth (Male) - Opodiphthera helena - Saturniidae



Acyphas semiochrea - Lymantriidae

Ptochostola microphaeellus - Crambidae

Arhodia lasiocamparia - Geometridae

This photo shows the difference in size and shape of the female (left) and male (right)

Hypodoxa muscosaria- Geometridae

Chloroclystis testulata - Geometridae

Phaeophlebosia furcifera - Arctiidae
This photo was overexposed but I tried to save it as it is the first time I have recorded this moth.

Unidentified Moths:

Below are a selection of moths I have not yet managed to identify. If you recognise any of them please let me know.

#1-3



#4-6



#7-9



#10-12

Some additional information for the unidentified moths:# 1. (Since identified as Epyaxa rosearia)
# 2. (Since identified as Nisista sp )
# 3.(since identified as (Cerura) melanoglypta  )
# 4. Prob. Philobota sp
# 5.
# 6. (Since identifies as Prometopus inassueta)
# 7. (Since identifies as Prometopus inassueta)
# 8. (Since identified as Agrotis-porphyricollis )
# 9. Pyralidae
#10. Since identified as Spectrotrota fimbrialis )
#11. Proteuxoa sp
#12. (since identifies as Heteroteucha dichroella)

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Milestone Reached - 400 moths

The Lepidoptera of Tasmania website reached a new mile stone today with 400 species now illustrated. While many of the photos are my own I have only scratched the surface of the (at least) 1,480 moths to be found within Tasmania. Thus I would like to give a BIG Thank You to those individuals and organisations who have been so kind as to allow the use of their photographs.

Also, may I mention that if anyone else has images that could be used to fill the gaps then I'd be happy to hear from you. They do not need to be taken in Tasmania as they will serve as place holders until I eventually photograph a local specimen. Any images used will be reduced to around 440 pixels wide (or long) with full credit given as well as a hyperlink back to the person's web site (if they have one)

(In alphabetical order - Apologies if I have missed anyone)

Thank you,

• Cocks, Graeme
• Corver, Christine
• Fraser, Duncan
• Gilligan, T
• Guyonnet, Antoine
• Herbison-Evans, Don
• Hobern, Donald
• Martin, E. L
• Mazzei, Paolo
• Melville, James
• Pittaway, A.R.
• Schmidt, Olga
• Scott, Lynne
• Smith, Ian F.
• Young, Catherine
• Wirtz, Peter
• David Jones,

As well as:

• Central Science Laboratory, Harpenden Archives, British Crown
• Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series
• Colorado State University (Whitney Cranshaw)
• Entomart
• Kansas State University, GPDN (Bob Bauernfeind)
• Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
• Oregon Department of Agriculture (Coombs, Eric)
• University of Georgia (Jones, David)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Department of Entomology)
• USDA Agricultural Research Service (Payne, Jerry A)

Melanodes anthracitaria
... And just to brighten up this post, here's a brightly marked example the the Black Geometrid, Melanodes anthracitaria which came to the light trap last night.

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Mothing - 16th / 17th November

.....Nothing Much to See Here
.....Mothing - Much to See Here

Eight species came to the trap last night not including numerous little micros which were unphotographable, unidentifiable and not all that unforgettable.

(Click to view larger photos)

Noctuidae: Hecatesia fenestrata
These are known as the Whistling moth. This one is a female.

Noctuidae: Hecatesia fenestrata
Lateral view of the Whistling Moth

Geometridae: Hypobapta percomptaria
This individual is lighter than the ones I usually see around here.

Geometridae: Hypobapta percomptaria
The moth obligingly crawled onto my finger and then onto a piece of glass enabling me to get a clear ventral view.

Geometridae: Gastrina cristaria

Noctuidae: Persectania ewingii

Other moths that came to the light last night include Agrotis infusa (The Bogong), Pantydia diemeni, Acyphas semiochrea and Plutella xylostella.

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Mothing - 13th / 14th November 2009

.....The early birds got the worms but I got the moths.

The sun rises at around 5:50 am so when I headed out to the backyard at 6:30am to check the nights catch I expected to be fighting off the fairy-wrens who are usually hanging around the trap for a free feed. I was surprised to see that for a change I had beaten them to it. They must have been having a sleep in.

It had been a clear night with a bit of a breeze but the temperature had only got down to 9° C. Although there were only a dozen or so moths in the box I was happy to find among them two new species for my backyard. One is the Tinead, Monopis icterogastra and the other a Geometrid which I have not yet identified. (Any suggestions welcome.)

(Click on photos to enlarge)

First up is the Geometrid, Niceteria macrocosma. These have beautiful golden underwings as can be seen by clicking here.

Here is a nice fresh specimen of Heliomystis electrica, also a Geometrid. The name "electrica" no doubt comes from the latin and greek words for amber. You might wonder why this moth would be given such a name until................

......you see the under wings in all their glory from below.
- and no I'm not conducting experiments to discover whether or not moths are ticklish :-)

This is one of the species new to my garden list. It is Monopis icterogastra and belongs to the Tineidae. Notice the woolly head which is quite a common feature within this family.

Last up is the Geometrid which I have not yet had time to identify. If you happen to know what it is then please let me know.

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'Lepidoptera of Tasmania' Returns

After and absence of around 6 months (or was it more) I have finally uploaded the site to a new host. While there is always going to be more work to do, I hope that even in it's current state, fellow mothing enthusiasts may find something of interest there.

As I have only just uploaded the files there are likely to be a few broken links for which I apologise in advance.

Note:

• The new URL is http://moths.sleepy-lizard.net
• You may not be able to access the site until the DNS propagates. (If it doesn't work today it should work tomorrow)

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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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Rearing Lepidoptera

I've added a "Rearing Lepidoptera" section to my web site. It's basically notes and photographs from some of my rearing projects. I still have a few more to add but unfortunately I have lost 29 lots of project notes on my computer. The missing ones are all Australian species I've reared over the last 2 years. I've checked back up discs etc but just can't figure out what I've done with them. Such is life. I'll just have to start again.

In the mean time, perhaps a few of you may find these of interest.

http://tasmoths.net/rearing.php

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Time Away from Blogging.

.....but "I'll Be Back"

I've haven't posted as often lately as I've bee preoccupied with updates to my website on the "Lepidoptera of Tasmania". As I've stated elsewhere it has been in a bit of a mess since I mucked up the database. I'm slowly rebuilding it but it still needs a lot of work. It now has 273 Tasmanian species with photos or illustrations. It also has a check list of 1,472 species known to be found in Tasmania. I still have more photos to add and I have to get the notes written up for each moth as well. By the way, many of the moths on the site are also found on the mainland, particularly in the south-east so hopefully it will be of some use outside of Tassie.

So, I'll be missing for a little while as I need to spend less time on the blog until I get the job up to date. I'll still be checking in on everyone else's blog.

http://tasmoths.net/

Screen capture of the Home Page

Screen capture of Page 1 of the Geometridae thumbnails.

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