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:

1 hr ago

Some moths do this, especially certain geometrids. It makes it tricky to ID as the markings on the forewings are not visible. This looks like a noctuid to me ?

Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera)

WendyEM wrote:

4 hrs ago

Note to self - look in Zyganids for something like this !! What an amazing wasp mimicking? moth, although I think Zyganids are not palatable ??

Hestiochora erythrota

WendyEM wrote:

4 hrs ago

Due to a glitch the picture has not loaded. Please have another go at uploading the picture to this record.

Psalidostetha banksiae

WendyEM wrote:

4 hrs ago

I am not convinced with Isomoralla gephyrota ID. On BOLD (incl. spelling mistake) and iNat 'Research Grade" the whitte patch on the head does not extend as far down the thorax as in above. iNat has quite a few unverified examples of this. I think it is another genus/species which I am yet to find.

Isomoralla gephyrota

ibaird wrote:

Yesterday

Telocharacta metachroa? - although the black shoulder is more prominent than in most examples I see eleswhere.
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/e8d0d36b-cae5-4d22-bc7a-299f3d34e330#gallery

Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera)