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

Latest sightings

Neumichtis expulsa at Rosedale, NSW - 28 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Unplaced biplaga (Acute Point Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 26 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Thalaina clara (Clara's Satin Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 26 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Chelepteryx chalepteryx (White-stemmed Wattle Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 26 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Hydrillodes dimissalis (A Noctuid moth (Eribidae - Herminiinae)) at Rosedale, NSW - 28 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Halone sejuncta (Variable Halone) at Moruya, NSW - 30 Apr 2025 by LisaH

Dudua aprobola (Mango Webworm) at Rosedale, NSW - 29 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Calamotropha delatalis (a Crambid moth (Crambinae)) at Rosedale, NSW - 29 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Edosa (genus) (A Tineid moth (Perissomasticinae) at Rosedale, NSW - 28 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Epidesmia tryxaria at Narooma, NSW - 17 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Nola epicentra (Nola epicentra) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Dasygaster padockina (Tasmanian Cutworm) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Brunia replana (Lichen-eating Caterpillar) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Anthela ocellata (Eyespot Anthelid moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Anthela repleta (Replete Anthelid) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Calyptra minuticornis (Vampire Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Hypobapta percomptaria (Southern Grey) at Rosedale, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Spoladea recurvalis (Beet Webworm) at Gerroa, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Maxates calaina (Neat-angled Emerald) at Batemans Bay, NSW - 24 Apr 2025 by KarenI

Utetheisa pulchelloides (Heliotrope Moth) at Gerroa, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Chlorocoma dichloraria at Rosedale, NSW - 22 Apr 2025 by jb2602

$Ectropis fractaria (Ringed Bark Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 22 Apr 2025 by jb2602$

Entometa fervens (Common Gum Snout Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 22 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Calyptra minuticornis (Vampire Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 22 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Trigonodes hyppasia (Triangle Owlet) at Gerroa, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Urolitha bipunctifera (An Emerald moth) at Gerroa, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Cruria synopla (Forest Day-moth) at Gerroa, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by RAllen

Stathmopoda cephalaea (A Lizard moth (Stathmopodidae) at Rosedale, NSW - 22 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Crocanthes prasinopis (A Curved -horn moth) at Unanderra, NSW - 21 Apr 2025 by PaperbarkNativeBees

Anthela acuta (Common Anthelid) at Unanderra, NSW - 21 Apr 2025 by PaperbarkNativeBees

Pantydia capistrata (An Erebid moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 13 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Proteuxoa testaceicollis (Tawny-coloured Noctuid) at Rosedale, NSW - 13 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Thalaina clara (Clara's Satin Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 12 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Pararguda crenulata (Lappett moth or Snout moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 12 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Proteuxoa restituta (Black-bodied Noctuid) at Rosedale, NSW - 12 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Ardices curvata at Rosedale, NSW - 12 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Faveria tritalis (Couchgrass Webworm) at Moruya, NSW - 20 Apr 2025 by LisaH

Fuscicepsana fuscicepsana (A Tortricid moth) at Moruya, NSW - 20 Apr 2025 by LisaH

Ectropis bispinaria (Loop-line Bark Moth) at Moruya, NSW - 20 Apr 2025 by LisaH

Anaclastis apicistrigellus (A Crambid moth (Crambinae) at Moruya, NSW - 20 Apr 2025 by LisaH

Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera) by lbradley

Lepidoscia (genus) ADULT (A Case moth) at Surf Beach, NSW - 19 Apr 2025 by Hejor1

Chlenias (genus) (A looper moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 9 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Pararguda rufescens (Rufous Snout Moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 9 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Spodoptera litura (Cluster Caterpillar, Tobacco Cutworm) at Rosedale, NSW - 9 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Neogalea sunia (Catabena Moth) at Kangaroo Valley, NSW - 15 Apr 2025 by lbradley

Lepidoscia (genus) ADULT (A Case moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Chlorocoma dichloraria (Guenee's or Double-fringed Emerald) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Glyphidoptera insignana (a tufted Tortrix moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Proteuxoa testaceicollis (Tawny-coloured Noctuid) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Spodoptera mauritia (Lawn Armyworm) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Halone sejuncta (Variable Halone) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Bathytricha (genus) (A Noctuid moth (Acronictinae)) at Rosedale, NSW - 8 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Scoparia philonephes (A Crambid moth) at Rosedale, NSW - 11 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Proteuxoa restituta (Black-bodied Noctuid) at Rosedale, NSW - 11 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Australothis rubrescens (Indian Weed Caterpillar) at Rosedale, NSW - 11 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Herpetogramma licarsisalis (Sod Webworm) at Rosedale, NSW - 11 Apr 2025 by jb2602

Omiodes diemenalis (Bean Leafroller) at Rosedale, NSW - 11 Apr 2025 by jb2602

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Discussion

DPRees125 wrote:

2 hrs ago

thanks

Guestia uniformis

DianneClarke wrote:

3 hrs ago

Thanks Ian

Oxycanus australis

donhe wrote:

6 hrs ago

Ah: P. rubropicta has a cusped pale submarginal arc like this, but the orbicular and reniform are all wrong.

Neumichtis expulsa

donhe wrote:

7 hrs ago

N. expulsa has a marginal arc of black daggers on the forewing, which this specimen does not have.
None of the Noctuidae illustrated on LBH have the sharp cusp on the pale submarginal double band on the forewing like this specimen appears to have. Is it a visual artifact from overlapping wings ?

Neumichtis expulsa

donhe wrote:

7 hrs ago

The front legs on C. delocentra and C. nigricincta in the photos on LBH look very similarly black and white banded like this.

Cryptophasa (genus)