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.
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.
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?
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
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.
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