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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Australian Moths and other garden observations (4 Viewers)

Slowly working through my photos from April. These two were particularly pleasing to find.
Imma atrosignata - I believe this is the second example of Imma atrosignata that I have caught (the first being on TI April 2021). I am unsure of its status in Australia, it is not listed on the digital AFD directory at all but on page 150 of the printed checklist it is as "Imma melanosphena Meyrick, 1918 (Imma), repl.name atrosignata sensu Turner 1913" It is listed by both Meyrick and Turner in various published articles on Australian Lepifauna (as per BHL)
When I look at funet.fi it lists both as valid species and the labelled photos of the two species (melanosphena and atrosignata) that I can find do seem different with the later having a very strong white fringe to the termin as well as an obvious white mark in the apex of the costa - both of which appear to be missing in melanophena. This is the Imma astrosignata on PIF https://www.papua-insects.nl/.../Imma/Imma%20atrosignata.htm which looks looks identical mine
Trissodoris euphaedra (Cosmopterginae) - I have caught this a couple of times but have only now tracked down its ID. As far as I can tell this is the first published photo of a live specimen
The ID of Trissodoris is incorrect - it is infact a Stathmopoda species (the big curved labial palps are just visible in this image and I have since triple checked another out of focus angle and the palps are clearly Stathmopoda like...back to the drawing board for this one!
 
I am over six weeks behind with my photos so all I am managing to do after each session is a quick run through to delete obvious out of focus image. A very quick sort from Fridays trapping session in the forest area (was too windy for my main site) came up with these highlights
Agrotera ignepicta (Spilomelinae) - this has been a regular feature on the sheet this year
Avatha discolor (Erebidae) - another species that has been commoner than usual this Wet
Clostera rubida (Notodontinae) - norally a rare visitor to the my sheet on the Cape I have had five individuals in the last two weeks.
Donuca orbigera (Erebidae) - there were at least three on the sheet over the weekend, sadly I did not check my image carefully enough and it has been photo bombed by something ....
Dysbatus (Geometrinae) - I have not managed to get my head round this genus yet, there are several similar species that could possibly occur on the Cape
Euchromia aemulinae (Arctiinae) - only my second record for this species, both from Weipa
Metopiora sanguinata (Noctuinae) - a regular on the sheet throughout the Wet, usually in single but the last couple of weeks there have been several a night
Protulioncnemis partita (Geometrinae) - probably my favourite Geometrinae genus
Termioptycha eucarta (Epipaschiinae) - a nie male, only catch this on a couple of occasions each year so always good to see
Thosea threnopis (Limacodidae) - a regular visitor to the sheet this year
Tonica effractella (Depressariidae) - usually a common visitor to the sheet this species has been scarce this season and from memory this is only the third I have caught
Xestocasis balanochrysa (Cosmopterginae) - an annual visitor to the sheet
 

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A species that moth-ers from the UK may recognise as I believe there are a handful of records, has started to appear on the sheet regularly the last 6 weeks or so...Antigastra catalaunalis (Spilomelinae).
 

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I was out briefly last night but a combination of lack of cloud cover and strong winds made conditions far from ideal and very little appeared on the sheet so I cut my losses and went home!
These two were about the best of the bunch
Anemosa isadasalis (Crambidae, Chrysauginae) - I have caught a few Anemosa over the last five years and the majority of them say at genus level as the species do not appear to be very clearly defined in the literature and there are several undescribed species, this one with the dots is the exception and can be put at species level...although confusingly not all individuals show the dots....
Macaldenia palumba (Erebidae, Erebinae) - a scarce visitor to the sheet most years, this Wet was above average with at individuals seen on at least six nights
 

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Managed to get out last night for the first time in a fortnight! Was quite calm when setting up but within minute of it getting dark the wind picked up and my phone beeped letting me know that a Maritime Wind Warning had just been issued for Weipa! That said the night was surprisingly rductive - with the exception of micros... I have many shots of where they were sitting but fewer of the moth itself!
Aiteta pratti - it continues to be an excellent year for this species with at least 4-5 on the sheet at any one time
Arhodia lasiocamparia - my first for a few months
Callopistria coelisigna - this has been a regular visitir this year
Casbia rhodoptila
Euchromia aemulina
- there were at least four on the sheet last night including a pair in copulo but the image was too large to upload here
Oeonochroma pallida - one of three species of Oenochroma on the sheet last night
Paectes cyanodes - an annual if scarce visitor
Psamatodes abydata - it has been a very good year for this invasive species. I usually catch a couple each season but this year I have had several nights with multiples on the sheet, last night there were at least three
Spirama recessa - a nice female
Zeheba spectabilis - a much darker individual than sometimes
 

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  • Casbia rhodoptila.JPG
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  • Callopistria coelisigna.JPG
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  • Arhodia lasiocamparia.JPG
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  • Aiteta pratti.JPG
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  • Zeheba spectabilis.JPG
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