Anthela ocellata

Eyespot Anthelid moth at Pialligo, ACT

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Anthela ocellata ibaird 23 Apr 2025
Anthela ocellata donhe 22 Apr 2025
Anthelidae (family) ibaird 21 Apr 2025
Anthelidae (family) WendyEM 21 Apr 2025
Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE GlennCocking 1 Jun 2022
Unverified Halina 16 May 2021

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Spotted at Pialligo

6 comments

   16 May 2021
The face suggests Thaumetopoeinae, but we only have photos of 12 out of the 29 named species in that subfamily, and I don't think it is one of those 12.
You need to rear it in protective custody to an adult moth to get an identification.
   16 May 2021
Thanks, Don. I might go back and see if I can find it again.
   16 May 2021
They can walk at about 1 cm/second = 36m/hr, so overnight they could be over 100m away from where you last saw it. It is better to carry a little plastic specimen bottle with you when you go out, to capture such beasties on the spot, as most caterpillars need to be reared to the adult moth to identify them, and predators kill over 99% of caterpillars if you leave them in the wild.
   16 May 2021
In that case, I won't worry but I will certainly take your advice on the bottle. When I first saw it, I didn't see any others in the near vicinity. It seemed to be on its own.
   22 Apr 2025
I think I see a row of pink verrucae.
   22 Apr 2025
Thank you @WendyEM, @ibaird and @donhe 🙏 It's great to put a name to such a beautiful caterpillar.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • At least 1 Abundance
  • 15 May 2021 01:13 PM Recorded on
  • Halina Recorded by
  • Callistemon pinifolius Associated plant
  • 25mm to 50mm Animal size
  • Larvae Breeding behaviour

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Species information

Record quality

Quality score 4 / 7
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  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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