Moths (Lepidoptera)

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Useful references:

CSIRO's Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) - Australian Moths Online
Don Herbison-Evans web pages:
- Moths of Australia
- Australian caterpillars and their butterflies and moths

In the notes provided about individual species, semi-technical terms are sometimes used. They are briely explained below.

Labial palpi. These are paired appendages extending from the lower part of the head, on either side of the proboscis. They provide important information about the family of the moth.

Parts of a moth’s wing:

Costa: The leading edge of the wing

Inner margin: The trailing edge of the wing

Termen: The outer margin of the wing, connecting the costa to the inner margin

Apex: The leading tip of the wing, where the costa and termen meet

Tornus: The trailing corner of the wing, where the termen and inner margin meet

Cilia. Long hairy scales along an edge of the wing

Moths (Lepidoptera)

Anthelid moths (Anthelidae)

Case moths (Psychidae)

Concealer moths (Oecophoridae)

Curved-horn moths (all Gelechioidea except Oecophoridae)

Emperor moths (Saturniidae)

Geometer moths (Geometridae)

Hawk moths (Sphingidae)

Noctuoid moths (except Arctiinae)

Pyralid or Snout Moths (Pyralidae & Crambidae)

Sun moths (Castniidae)

Swift and Ghost moths (Hepialidae)

Tiger moths (Arctiinae)

Tortricid moths (Tortricidae)

Wood moths (Cossidae)

Other moths

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Discussion

WendyEM wrote:

3 hrs ago

ditto many of this group incl. O. australis and O. dirempta. I was looking at examples on BOLD, iNat (Research grade) and Moths of Victoria and trying for the best match I could find for the colour, markings and antennae. Location may be too far north for this sp. I had thought it was close enough.

Oxycanus (genus)

ibaird wrote:

3 hrs ago

My doubt this is O. sirpus was looking at the MoV visual key (Part 6) which shows O. sirpus antennae in the male are yellow/straw coloured with short rami. Looking at the antennae here in Photoshop they have a different apparently longer rami which seem to be orange coloured. Although the forewing markings suggest O. sirpus we know they the forewing markings are highly variable in Oxycanus (genus). iNaturalist also indicates O. sirpus occurs mainly in southern Victoria. This sighting is from the Southern Highlands NE from Canberra.

Oxycanus (genus)

WendyEM wrote:

4 hrs ago

we often find things out of previously recorded range. Without extracting the pseudotegumen, (tricky in a photo) if it is a male, who really knows.

Oxycanus australis

donhe wrote:

4 hrs ago

@WendyEM : how does one distinguish E. sirpus without using DNA or dissecting the genitalia ?

Oxycanus (genus)

donhe wrote:

4 hrs ago

I think E. leucomochla larvae usually feed underground on Wattle roots. Above ground I think you are more likely to find E. encalypti larvae, which despite their name, feed on Wattles.

Endoxyla (genus)