7 Emperor Gum Moth at Mount Painter
Identification history
| Opodiphthera eucalypti | 15 Jan 2024 | donhe | ||
| Opodiphthera eucalypti | 15 Jan 2024 | CathB |
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User's notes
The completed life cycle of a caterpillar first seen on 16 January 2023, just short of a year ago. A summary of her previous life consuming large quantities of eucalypt leaves and building her cocoon can be seen in Sighting 4471275, and more details are available in the timeline.
The first hint that something was happening was a continuous tapping noise that could be clearly heard from the other end of the room. When the noise suddenly stopped about an hour later, I found the newly emerged moth. The photos of her expanding her wings to a width of about 12 cm are shown in reverse order, and cover a period from about 5.15 to 7.00 pm. She was later returned her to the same place where I collected her as a tiny, very hungry, caterpillar.
5 comments
ibaird
wrote:
16 Jan 2024
Those 'knocking' noises are possibly an adaptation signalling to the other sex that a mating opportunity is about to materialize nearby!
CathB
wrote:
16 Jan 2024
I have just added a sound recording of the noises coming from the cocoon. See sighting 4544918. I had no idea at the time what these were, but I now think it sounds consistent with the process described in https://www.citscihub.nz/Phil_Bendle_Collection:Opodiphthera_eucalypti_(Gum_emperor_moth) 'When the metamorphosis is complete, the adult moth regurgitates a fluid to soften the tough cocoon and then cuts a hole using sharp hooks on the base of each forewing.' It could also have a secondary function of alerting the opposite sex as suggested by @ibaird, but the highly branched antennae suggest pheromones would also play an important role there.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.073415-35.266520
- Maps Mount Painter
- Places Cook, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 12 Jan 2024 05:21 PM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
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Collections
Featured CathB Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Opodiphthera eucalypti Emperor moths (Saturniidae) Moths (Lepidoptera) Insects
Additional information
- 50mm or larger Animal size
- Female Gender
- Alive / healthy Animal health
Species information
- Opodiphthera eucalypti Scientific name
- Emperor Gum Moth Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1250.5m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
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Synonyms
Austrocaligula eucalypti
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