Moth (Lepidoptera) field guide

Useful references:

• CSIRO's Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) - Australian Moths Online
• Don Herbison-Evans web pages:
  • Moths of Australia
  • Australian caterpillars and their butterflies and moths

In the notes provided about individual species, semi-technical terms are sometimes used.  They are briely explained below.

Labial palpi.  These are paired appendages extending from the lower part of the head, on either side of the proboscis.  They provide important information about the family of the moth.

Parts of a moth’s wing:

Costa:  The leading edge of the wing

Inner margin:  The trailing edge of the wing

Termen:  The outer margin of the wing, connecting the costa to the inner margin

Apex:  The leading tip of the wing, where the costa and termen meet

Tornus:   The trailing corner of the wing, where the termen and inner margin meet

Cilia.  Long hairy scales along an edge of the wing

Crocidosema plebejana (Cotton Tipworm Moth)

inclined to face downhill

lateral view

dorsal view

Crocydopora cinigerella (A Pyralid moth)

Crypsiphona ocultaria (Red-lined Looper Moth)

Female

Male

Male underside

Cryptoblabes euraphella (Cryptoblabes euraphella)

Cryptophasa irrorata (A Gelechioid moth (Xyloryctidae))

Ctenoplusia limbirena (Scar Bank Gem)

Culama australis (A Wood moth (Cossidae))

Culladia cuneiferellus (Crambinae moth)

Cycloprorodes melanoxysta (Black-edged Geometrid)

Cycloprorodes melanoxysta (Black-edged Geometrid)

Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth)

Cymatophora aspera (Varied Geometrid)

Damias procrena (Procrena Footman)

Dasygaster padockina (Tasmanian Cutworm)

Dasypodia selenophora (Southern old lady moth)

Delexocha ochrocausta (Chezala Group)

Destolmia lineata (Streaked Notodontid Moth)

Dialectica scalariella (Echium Leaf Miner)

Diarsia intermixta (Chevron Cutworm, Orange Peel Moth.)

Underside

Dichromodes stilbiata (White-barred Heath Moth)

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