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:

Yesterday

E.mniara lacks the kink in forwing main black line

Ectropis (genus)

WendyEM wrote:

Yesterday

I don't know where that came from.

Utetheisa (genus)

ibaird wrote:

Yesterday

Yes mostly U. puchelloides in the south I understand but I'm not sure I clearly see 5 red spots along the trailing edge of the forewing in this specimen.

Utetheisa (genus)

ibaird wrote:

Yesterday

OK, interesting. The apparent kink at inner edge of the hindwing is very pronounced here. We have usually relied on the pronounced upward kink of the main dark line of the hindwing at the outer edge (not visible here) for a definitive ID of E. ecursaria. I see the MoV notes seem to acknowledge many E, excursaira specimens don't show the downward kink of the holotype and are regarded as 'variants' of the species. On Bold(Hobern) there seem to be only a few of those shown with the downward kink clearly visible,

Ectropis (genus)

WendyEM wrote:

Yesterday

I believe Utetheisa pulchelloides is what we get down here.

Utetheisa (genus)