TEST

Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE moth

Pialligo, ACT

Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE moth at Pialligo, ACT - 15 May 2021
Request use of media

Identification history

Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE moth 1 Jun 2022 GlennCocking
Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE moth 16 May 2021 donhe
Unidentified 16 May 2021 Halina

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Spotted at Pialligo

4 comments

donhe wrote:
   16 May 2021
The face suggests Thaumetopoeinae, but we only have photos of 12 out of the 29 named species in that subfamily, and I don't think it is one of those 12.
You need to rear it in protective custody to an adult moth to get an identification.
Halina wrote:
   16 May 2021
Thanks, Don. I might go back and see if I can find it again.
donhe wrote:
   16 May 2021
They can walk at about 1 cm/second = 36m/hr, so overnight they could be over 100m away from where you last saw it. It is better to carry a little plastic specimen bottle with you when you go out, to capture such beasties on the spot, as most caterpillars need to be reared to the adult moth to identify them, and predators kill over 99% of caterpillars if you leave them in the wild.
Halina wrote:
   16 May 2021
In that case, I won't worry but I will certainly take your advice on the bottle. When I first saw it, I didn't see any others in the near vicinity. It seemed to be on its own.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • Callistemon pinifolius Associated plant
  • 25mm to 50mm Animal size
  • Larvae Breeding behaviour

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
1,893,037 sightings of 21,044 species in 9,272 locations from 12,889 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.