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

ibaird wrote:

32 min ago

Agreed,

Unverified Noctuoid moth (except Arctiinae)

WendyEM wrote:

33 min ago

Scrobipalpa pyrranthes

Ardozyga eumela

ibaird wrote:

45 min ago

Yes. On looking closely I now don;t think Palimmeces pseudomorpha has a thin dard line along the costa.
https://bold-au.hobern.net/specimens.php?taxid=410065

Palimmeces pseudomorpha

ibaird wrote:

53 min ago

The specimen does seem to have forewing pattern (such at is) which is a match to Scrobipalpa pyrrhanthesPS1, so should we subbest Scrobipalpa pyrranthes or Scrobipalpa (genus) as the ID?

Ardozyga eumela

ibaird wrote:

1 hr ago

Yes, and they can be challenging to identify. Given the forewing patterns vary significantly within and between species, the usual approach is to rely on using antennae structure and colour, using the Moths of Victoria (Part 6) visual key to the Oxycanus (genus). Unfortunatlely Moths of Victoria say the status of O. lyelli is uncertain and needs more work. Using their key the male of Oxycanus dirempta and O. lyelli have a very similar antennae structure, but they differ only in colour: those of O. lyella are a dark brown, whereas O. dirempta are red-brown. I'm not 100% which species we have here, but I think the anetannae are as likely red-brown in colour rather than dark brown. If there is another way to distinguish O. dirempta and O. lyelli on visual grounds in the field, I'm open to suggestions.

Oxycanus dirempta