Agaristinae (subfamily)

A Day-Flying Moth at Acton, ACT

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Identification history

Agaristinae (subfamily)	25 Apr 2019	ibaird
Agaristinae (subfamily)	25 Apr 2019	donhe
Phalaenoides glycinae	21 Apr 2019	michaelb
Unidentified	21 Apr 2019	TimL

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User's notes

Sighted on a handrail in the ANBG Rainforest Gully. Unsure if this is a moth or butterfly caterpillar. Thanks to Marcus Leach for the initial sighting.

8 comments

donhe wrote:

22 Apr 2019

This looks like an Agaristinae, but unlike any of the 11 illustrated in
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/agar/agar-cats.html
It does not have the enlarged coloured penultimate segment of Comocrus behri, Hecatesia fenestrata, Periscepta polysticta, Phalaenoides glycinae, or Phalaenoides tristifica,
and the pattern is too complex for Agarista, Apina, Coenotoca, Cruria and Periopta sp.
It could be a different instar or variation of any of these, or one of the other 31 Agaristinae species with no larval illustration.

donhe wrote:

22 Apr 2019

The other Agaristinae species commonly found in ACT are Agaristodes feisthamelii and Idalima affinis. I suspect it is one of those.
Tim: any chance of refinding it and taking it into protective custody to get a moth you could photograph, and then taking that back and releasing it where you found it?

TimL wrote:

22 Apr 2019

Don, it was sighted four days ago on the handrail in the Rainforest Gully and was very active, moving along quite fast. However, I'll have a look in the vicinity of the sighting next time I'm there and hopefully it might turn up. Tim

donhe wrote:

25 Apr 2019

The larva of Phalaenoides glycinae has an enlarged red anal segment.
This doesnt.
It is NOT Phalaenoides glycinae.

michaelb wrote:

26 Apr 2019

Hi Tim
You didn't specify whether it was a moth or a butterfly. It would be good to do this with your caterpillars so that the moderators of one of these groups gets an email about it. l made the suggestion to ensure that the moth people saw it.

TimL wrote:

26 Apr 2019

Hi Michael
I'm usually unsure if any particular caterpillar I photograph is a moth or a butterfly however, I take your point and will in future specify one or the other to ensure the moth or butterfly experts are notified.
Tim

donhe wrote:

26 Apr 2019

I know no Australian butterfly species with a caterpillar like that.

michaelb wrote:

26 Apr 2019

Thanks Tim

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