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355 items (page 11 of 12) (100 per page)

Idiodes apicata Bracken Moth

27 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

This moth is has evolved to resemble a dead gum leaf in behaviour as well as appearance. About 50mm wingspan. In a local nature reserve adjoining a national park. This specimen has very pale markings compared to some but the underwing shots are indicative. The larvae feed on Bracken - Pteridium esculentum
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Tubifera ferruginosa

24 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

On a dull day in a damp forest this little patch really stood out. Patch about 50mm wide. Looks like dayglo caviar. First pic shows a medium sized ant possibly checking for a meal. In leaf and twig litter in a local nature reserve.
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Thalaina clara Clara's Satin Moth

16 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Approximately 22mm long with a wingspan of about 50mm. Resting on a wall in a local nature reserve adjoining a large national park. In Melbourne, the pupa is formed in September and adults emerge at the beginning of May, so this one is a little early.
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Pterolocera spp.

13 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Plush moth about 28mm across wings back. A line of dark spots near outer margin. Dark areas on costa near base. Deep orange-red colour particularly near head and thorax. Antennae highly plumose black on white. "Pterolocera rubescens is a possibility but work needs to be done to determine the Victorian species (of which there are three as yet un-named)" - thanks Peter Marriott
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Lycogala epidendrum

13 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Clusters of small, warty pinkish-orange blobs measuring about 8mm. On touching one it felt very soft and broke open easily releasing an orange, thick fluid. Two specimens were found; one o a pine log and one on a eucalyptus log with bark. Both were within 50 metres of each other in a local nature reserve.
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Discophlebia sp. (1) Variable Stub-moth

13 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A strange looking stub moth about 32mm long. This group do a good job of imitating a broken twig. In a local nature reserve adjoining a large, eucalyptus dominated national park. Six Oenosandridae species in Victoria. This one matches Peter Marriott's undescribed 'Discophlebia sp.' (1) in 'Moths of Victoria' part 2.
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Epithymema incomposita

08 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

This one lying flattish.. apparently uncommonly. Also some unusual yellow tints near outer wing margins.
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Monoctenia falernaria Patched Leaf Moth

07 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A beautiful gum leaf mimic moth about 65mm wingspan. Patterns on the wing resemble those of a dry and decomposing eucalyptus leaf as does the overall shape. The behaviour of the moth was even more leaf-like. Initially it was very high on a wall so I touched it with a long stick and instead of flying it simply fell like a leaf to the litter below. It initially landed on it's back revealing similar colours but with 2 darker grey areas near the centre of the wings. Even when touched it refused to attempt flight and would just flip over to lie still on top of the other leaves.
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Pantydia sparsa

06 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

About 40mm wingspan. An attractive pattern of greys and this one has a fine wavy yellow line near the outer margin. Yet another version of this highly variable moth. Under strong night lights at the local school.
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Ligonipes semitectus

05 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A couple of jumping spiders resembling the local bullants. One (♀?) is larger than the other. About 10mm long overall but it was hard to tell individual sizes. On a blade of Gahnia sp. (sword grass) in a local nature reserve. I realise now one is possibly devouring the other.
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Proteuxoa cinereicollis

01 Apr 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A handsome little graphite black moth with a gold tadpole on the wing, a line of fine dots on the costa, and a fur collar both of gold and white. About 15mm long. Attracted to night lights at the local school.
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Gastrinodes bitaeniaria

31 Mar 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Wingspan about 25mm. Under MV light at the local school. Thanks Cathy Powers.
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1. Cathy Powers I suggest it might be Gastrinodes bitaeniaria - the wing tips are a bit injured but the other lines match.
  
  Reply • 29 Nov 2017
2. - Mark Ridgway Fabulous! Thanks Cathy.
    
    Reply • 29 Nov 2017
Enicospilus sausi

19 Mar 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A fascinating, two-toned ichneumon wasp about 30mm long overall with a large, gasteruptid-style abdomen which was regularly pumping up and down. Nice blue eyes. On a wall at night at the local school. Attracted by strong lights.
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Elhamma australasiae

12 Mar 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

This specimen shows a red colour in hind wings and thorax, an exposed abdominal tuft. Estimated 24mm long overall. In a local nature reserve adjoining a national park. Many Elhamma australasiae ♂ I have seen this year have shown some natural variation but this red has never been seen before. The males of Elhamma also show a white flash on the side
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Hellula hydralis

12 Mar 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

About 14mm long overall. Wings held tent-like. Among grasses in a local nature reserve adjoining a national park. Wicks Reserve. Also called Cabbage Centre Grub.
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Rutilia spp. Tachinid Fly

20 Feb 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A robust, metallic green and tan tachinid fly. About 22mm long overall. Resting on a bench in a local nature reserve adjoining national park. Species name not yet known.
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Reilly starred this.
1. David Francis Wonderful detail!
  
  Reply • 13 Feb 2015
2. - Mark Ridgway Thanks David. I like how their faces resemble a stitched leather mask. Then again maybe there's something Hannibal Lecterish about it too.
    
    Reply • 14 Feb 2015
3. Chris Clarke Wow thats great macro photography!
  
  Reply • 14 Feb 2015
4. - Mark Ridgway Thanks Chris. I'm not sure if their huge size makes them over confident but all these Rutilia seem very cooperative.
    
    Reply • 14 Feb 2015
Endoxyla secta

30 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

This Cossid moth would have had a wingspan of about 60 mm. Short black lines marked both fore wings. Broad white streaks near the costal margins made this moth stand out from the other grey cossids. Spotted under bright lights near a national park.
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Endoxyla spp.

28 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

A fawn-coloured Cossid about 40 mm long, No distinct patterns on wings but darker along the veins. Antennae were brown and feathery. Thorax had a faint dark inverted "V" shape. Spotted under bright lights near a national park. I believe this is an Endoxyla moth. My thanks to peter Marriott for confirming the genus.
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1. Cathy Powers Leuba - Peter Marriott says it is an Endoxyla sp. with most of these with no name. Moths of Victoria volume 10 should assist but that is a work in progress.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
2. - Leuba Ridgway Thanks Cathy
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Culama anthracica

22 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

This cossid moth was all grey with thin black lines across the wings like tiger-skin stripes, with the pattern changing slightly in the submarginal area. The thorax had dense grey and white setae. Antennae were feathery - male. Wing span about 50 mm. My thanks to Cathy Powers & Peter Marriott for the ID.
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Mark Ridgway starred this.
1. Mark Ridgway Interesting to compare https://natureshare.org.au/observations/54e878fced2a89d990000624?display=thumbnails&order_by=created_at&user_id=Leuba
  
  Reply • 29 Nov 2017
3. Cathy Powers Leuba - this is Culama anthracica with the ID assistance of Peter Marriott.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
4. - Leuba Ridgway Thank you both Cathy Powers & Peter Marriott, for the ID. It's great I've got two species of Culama !
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Neumichtis expulsa

18 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

About 30mm long. Grey, white, black. Attracted to lights at the local school.
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Endoxyla spp.

16 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

This cossid moth was about 45 mm long. Mostly grey with tinges of light brown. The basal part of the fore wings had hatched markings of dark grey, the pattern running down to the apices of each wing. Hind wings were grey with the colour fading towards the sub marginal area. On each side of the thorax, running along the length of it was a broad band of dense white setae and just inside the band was a black line of setae ending posteriorly in a thick tuft. Antennae were feathery. Spotted under bright lights near national park.
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Mark Ridgway starred this.
1. Cathy Powers Probably best for this to be Endoxyla sp until further ID assistance is acquired.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
2. - Leuba Ridgway Thanks Cathy.
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Endoxyla cinereus

14 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

A really huge moth with over 200mm wingspan. Drawn to lights at the local primary school. Caught out trying to pull a brick wall over.
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1. Cathy Powers The species has been added.
  
  Reply • 29 Nov 2017
2. - Mark Ridgway Thanks again.
    
    Reply • 29 Nov 2017
Unidentified

11 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

About 60mm long. Some scale loss? Drawn to MV lights next to Dandenong Ranges NP. Check same white markings as on species Jan 27, 2013 ?
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Endoxyla lichenea

11 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

About 45mm long. Male antennae. Found under MV lights next to a national park. Thanks Cathy and Peter.
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1. Cathy Powers Mark - this is Endoxyla lichenea with ID assistance by Peter Marriott.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
2. - Mark Ridgway Thanks Cathy and Peter. A new species for me.
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Endoxyla spp.

11 Jan 2014 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

This gigantic and heavy moth was about 65 mm long and looked like a roll of burnt paper. The fore wings had attractive blotchy patches of black, brown, grey and white with the inner margins folding over each other in a wave. The grey thorax had two short black tufts of setae. Antennae were smooth and short. The abdomen was covered with dense grey setae; it looked and felt heavy. Spotted under bright lights near a national park.
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Mark Ridgway starred this.
1. Mark Ridgway Maybe E lituratus ?
  
  Reply • 29 Nov 2017
3. Cathy Powers Probably best to list this as Endoxyla sp until further work is done on this group.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
4. - Leuba Ridgway Thank you Cathy. The last one in this batch !
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Unidentified

21 Dec 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

A Cossid moth about 40 mm long. Fore wings were a pale grey with a central darker area. Midway along the costa was a semicircular patch of white. A short diagonal patch of dark grey was seen along the trailing edge of the fore wings. The thorax had the inverted black "V" as in all most other cossids. Spotted under bright lights near native trees. One of many cossids spotted that year. According to Peter Marriott , this is near Trismelasmos donovani. My thanks to Peter M for the ID and to Cathy Powers for facilitating the identification.
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1. Cathy Powers Leuba - this is sp. near Trismelasmos donovani with the ID assistance by Peter Marriott.
  
  Reply • 30 Nov 2017
2. - Leuba Ridgway Thank you Cathy.
    
    Reply • 30 Nov 2017
Stephanopis cambridgei

20 Dec 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Approximately 15mm overall this weird spider didn't move like most. It was slow, turning constantly, waving two pairs of fore legs very slowly, and definitely attracted to my torch light. Strong patterns of cream, black, brown and quite tubercular in parts. Short abdomen and large flattened cephalo-thorax. I think I can see eight eyes but tiny and well dispersed. Slowly exploring a wall in a very dark area of the local school late at night.
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Unidentified

16 Dec 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

This large cossid moth had a wing span of at least 70 mm. There were no patterns on its grey wings however, the wings looked like sand-paper. The hind wings were shorter and a beautiful purplish brown. some of this colour was also seen in the abdominal segments nearer the thorax. Abdomen was very thick. antennae were short, feathery and brown. It was interesting to see this moth in flight - lifting its heavy body into the air after a short "taxiing". On ground, the moth could be heard fluttering from several metres away. Spotted under bright lights near a national park. Need help to ID this large cossid. thanks.
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Diemenia rubromarginata

11 Oct 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Approximately 16mm long not including antennae. Resting on the only dark knot on a large barkless eucalyptus log... trying not to be noticed.
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1. Unknown family: PENTATOMIDAE subfamily: Pentatominae tribe: Carpocorini genus: Notius
  
  Reply • 17 Oct 2013
Tubifera ferruginosa

11 Oct 2013 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

Sporangiform process on the base of an old eucalyptus stump in a designated nature reserve. Species is Tubifera ferruginosa.
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1. Unknown Simple tidy system. All kingdoms allowed? What taxonomic database is it linked to? Test...
  
  Reply • 17 Oct 2013
3. Unknown All kingdoms. NS is for Vic species only but there aren't good Vic lists for many groups, including spiders, beetles, fungi, etc but working on those. If you find a species name isn't on NS let me know and I will upload the name. Sources for Vic data in NS is available at https://sites.google.com/site/naturesharehelp/acknowledgements
  
  Reply • 18 Oct 2013
5. Unknown Thanks Russell. I'll put them into comments in the meantime then.
  
  Reply • 18 Oct 2013