Moth (Lepidoptera) field guide

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

Acontia clerana (White Shoulder)

Agrotis munda (Brown Cutworm)

Male

Female

Agrotis porphyricollis (Variable Cutworm)

Female

Male underside

Male on left, female on right

Amata (genus) (Handmaiden Moth)

Anthela acuta (Common Anthelid)

Anthela varia (Hairy Mary)

Male

Female

Ardozyga thermochroa (A Gelechioid moth)

Austroterpna ideographa (A Geometrid moth (Pseudoterprini)

Casbia rectaria (Pomaderris Moth)

aLA image

Cernia amyclaria (Cernia amyclaria)

Graeme Cocks

Chaograptis crystallodes (A Noctuid moth (Acontiinae)

Chlenias auctaria (A Geometer moth (Diptychini)

Chrysolarentia mecynata (Mecynata Carpet Moth)

Cruria donowani (Crow or Donovan's Day Moth)

Crypsiphona ocultaria (Red-lined Looper Moth)

Female

Male

Male underside

Cryptophasa irrorata (A Gelechioid moth (Xyloryctidae))

Culama australis (A Wood moth (Cossidae))

Dichromodes estigmaria (Pale Grey Heath Moth)

Doratifera quadriguttata (Four-spotted Cup Moth)

Edosa xystidophora (Tineid moth)

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