Faveria tritalis

Couchgrass Webworm at Conder, ACT

Faveria tritalis at Conder, ACT - 27 Feb 2015
Request use of media

Identification history

Faveria tritalis 1 Nov 2017 GlennCocking
Faveria tritalis 1 Nov 2017 GlennCocking
Unidentified 5 Sep 2017 MichaelBedingfield

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Conder, ACT

6 comments

ibaird wrote:
   8 Sep 2017
Michael, I suspect this is quite possibly Culladia cuneiferellus, a pyralid snout moth in the Crambidae family (widespread in eastern Australia, inc' ACT, Norfolk Is and NZ, associated with couch grass) based on the strong similarity this photo has with several images from life on the ALA website, see also at http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations/34850, but most diagnostic images show the forewings opened out, not wrapped tightly likes this, where few of the features of the species are evident. I suspect you won't have other photos of this moth, but they would possibly help.
   8 Sep 2017
Ian, I have no other images. I can say that moths like this are very common and are attracted to the lights at night. Due to their small size they are hard to photograph and they usually have their wings folded in the same manner as the photo.
ibaird wrote:
   8 Sep 2017
Yes, I've observed them myself. This species features on websites about controlling pests on planted sportsgrounds, so if my suggested ID is correct you'd expect it to be common throughout urban Canberra.
GlennCocking wrote:
   1 Nov 2017
This is another Faviera tritalis. It's been reported 2 other times recently, and is very common in grasslands. This specimen was difficult to identify as only a few of the specimens, females, have the white scaling that this one shows so clearly. Most specimens are a much plainer yellow-brown.
ibaird wrote:
   2 Nov 2017
Yes, I have been a steep learning curve regarding especially these cryptic moths in Canberra's grasslands. Clearly though, we seem now to be rapidly getting a better handle on the diversity that exists (at least on CNM). Given quite an effort by ACT Government has been invested in creating nature reserves and managing what good quality grassy woodlands and lowland grasslands we still have here in the ACT, it will be interesting to see what the moth fauna eventually looks like.
   9 Nov 2017
Spelling corrected to Faveria tritalis.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • 12mm to 25mm Animal size

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
1,899,827 sightings of 21,133 species in 9,338 locations from 12,979 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.