Androchela milvaria
1 Four-spot Cape-moth (Ennominae) at Aranda, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Androchela milvaria | donhe | 5 Apr 2025 | |
| Androchela milvaria | ibaird | 4 Apr 2025 | |
| Amelora (genus) | CathB | 4 Apr 2025 |
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User's notes
I collected a striking bronze caterpillar from a Dillwynia phylicoides shrub on 29 September 2024. I continued to feed it on this species and D. sericea and the subsequent photos were taken on 17, 21 and 23 October. I was surprised to see how mobile the pupa was. For quite some time it thrashed its tail end round whenever it was disturbed. The moth hatched on 2 April 2025
3 comments
4 Apr 2025
CathB: a superb series of photos for this moth species. Excellent work.,
My suggested ID is based on the photo of the adult moth (5th photo). and the photos 2, 3 and 4 of the larva and cocoon, see https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/dipt/milvaria.html
The first photo of a larva appears to be an intermediate instar.
The second pair of spots for the adult moth are obscured by the forewing postion.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/265940811
Moths of Victoria (Part 5, supporting disc describe a matching pupal image (see photo 3 above) as a 'prepupa' , see A. milvaria 'Rearing and images by S.Williams at Eppalock, Vic (4/4. . They also illustrate an earlier elongate larva for the species which is bright green with a pink dorsal stripe. This is not disssimilar to photo 2, above although admittedly photo 2 would need to be regarded as an intermediate stage between earlier bright green larva and the ' prepupa stage' (which is also illustrated at https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/dipt/milvaria.html
Reference to 'Moths of Australia' (IFB Common, 1990) shows that Androchela milvaria was previously known as Amelora milvaria.
My suggested ID is based on the photo of the adult moth (5th photo). and the photos 2, 3 and 4 of the larva and cocoon, see https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/dipt/milvaria.html
The first photo of a larva appears to be an intermediate instar.
The second pair of spots for the adult moth are obscured by the forewing postion.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/265940811
Moths of Victoria (Part 5, supporting disc describe a matching pupal image (see photo 3 above) as a 'prepupa' , see A. milvaria 'Rearing and images by S.Williams at Eppalock, Vic (4/4. . They also illustrate an earlier elongate larva for the species which is bright green with a pink dorsal stripe. This is not disssimilar to photo 2, above although admittedly photo 2 would need to be regarded as an intermediate stage between earlier bright green larva and the ' prepupa stage' (which is also illustrated at https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/dipt/milvaria.html
Reference to 'Moths of Australia' (IFB Common, 1990) shows that Androchela milvaria was previously known as Amelora milvaria.
5 Apr 2025
Last night the moth landed on the inside of container lid and I got a photo of the underside which shows spots on the hind wings. I will make a second sighting and include that and a few more intermediate stages. See Sighting 4658492. I'm puzzled by the mention of a cocoon in the first reference. This one didn't produce a cocoon. The originally green pupal case turned brown but remained naked. Perhaps it only makes a cocoon in the soil, which this one didn't have.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.078782-35.269883
- Maps Aranda Bushland
- Places Aranda, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 2 Apr 2025 02:17 PM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
- Dillwynia phylicoides Associated plant
- 12mm to 25mm Animal size
Collections
- CathB NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Geometer moths (Geometridae) Moths (Lepidoptera) Insects Androchela milvaria
Species information
- Androchela milvaria Scientific name
- Four-spot Cape-moth (Ennominae) Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 645m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description
- Additional attributes
- GPS evidence of location