Common Splendid Ghost Moth-female

Description:

This beautiful moth had a wing span of about 70 mm. The fore wings were a beautiful rich green with patches of brown. Densely furry legs and thorax were brown making the moth at rest appear like a drying up leaf (pic 3). Eyes were low placed (pic 4) and antennae, short. The underside of the wing were a tawny pink (pic 5). This moth was seen near a barbeque area and was resting clinging to a wall. When gently coaxed off the wall, she started laying tiny spherical eggs ( Pic 6)

Habitat:

Spotted in a nature reserve with native trees.

Notes:

This was an amazing find for me. These moths emerge in the early part of Summer. They lay their eggs on barks of food plants made of many different species ( see reference) . The larvae bore straight into and down the trunk where they develop and rest through the day. They come out at night to feed and cover the tunnel opening with silk and chewed wood, forming a soft curtain similar to the one in this spotting http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/169... Males are slightly smaller ( 50 mm) and are mostly green with white markings. http://www1.ala.org.au/gallery2/v/Hepial... Family: Hepialidae