Invitation to obsession.
Apr 15th, 2009 by Duncan
Moths, creatures of the night, but not exclusively, a fascinating study, but beware all ye who take that path, ye may never be the same again. With over twenty thousand species in Australia, many undescribed and many more yet to be discovered, they can take over the life of an otherwise sane naturalist to the exclusion of all else. The hours of darkness are spent at the moth light, photographing and marveling at the myriad of different species that are drawn to flutter in the glow, while the daylight hours are for identification, and in my case, often futile attempts at doing so.
It’s now just over a year since I started mothing, and I’m still amazed at the number of new species that my mercury vapour lamp attracts from the gardens and paddocks of the rural subdivision where we live. With my second mothing autumn here some old friends from the previous season are showing up, this one, for example, Plesanemma fucata. The green, red, and yellow larva has an impressive horn on its head and feeds on eucalypt foliage.
Another eucalypt grazer is this one that came in for the first time the other night, Oenosandra boisduvallii. This is a male, the female has a completely different appearance, she is white with a black band along her fore wings.
A Noctuid, Proteuxoa tortisigna is a constant visitor, but on the same night this one landed on the wall and the more striking appearance immediately caught my eye. If I’m correct it is Proteuxoa paragypsa.
Now, one for which I don’t have a definite identification. Last autumn I attracted at least two species from the Hepialid genus Fraus, and I think that is where this individual belongs. On the same night a familiar one, Fraus simulans came in but eluded the camera. Hopefully someone can give me a name.
And finally, one of the most beautiful, Clara’s Satin Moth, Thalaina clara. Photographs just don’t do justice to the beautiful satin sheen of the wings. The larvae of this moth feed on wattle foliage.
Well, my friends, there you have it, your invitation to obsession, but beware, you have been warned! Click all images to enlarge.