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• Bondia nigella

  23 Jun 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  A small silky black moth about 6 mm long with tufts of scales on the fore wings. On each fore wing was a small gold crescent, about one-third of the distance from the trailing margin. Labial palps were recurved and covered with setae. Some banding in the legs visible. Spotted under bright lights after a warm day near a national park (Dandenong Ranges) My thanks to Cathy Powers who has identified this beauty as Bondia nigella. Family: Carposinidae ( Please add Bondia nigella. Thank you.)

  

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  1. Cathy Powers  Beautiful, Leuba. I will work on ID help.

     Reply • 25 Jun 2017

  2. • Leuba Ridgway  Thank you Cathy. Was hoping you'd see it - sorry about the "blue" overall colour.

       Reply • 26 Jun 2017

  3. Cathy Powers  How about Bondia nigella in the Carposinidae family?

     Reply • 27 Jun 2017

  4. • Leuba Ridgway  Thank you very much Cathy - spot on !

       Reply • 01 Jul 2017

  5. Cathy Powers  B. nigella added to species list.

     Reply • 01 Jul 2017

  6. • Leuba Ridgway  Thank you Cathy

       Reply • 31 Jul 2017

  7. Cathy Powers  Bondia nigella species id suggested

     Reply • 10 Jul 2017
• Paralaea beggaria Peppermint Looper Moth

  17 Jun 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  About 30mm long; attracted to lights at the local CFA

  

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  1. Cathy Powers  Mark - the Paralaea chionopasta is more high country and has very defined dark markings along the edges of the forewing. Perhaps this is Paralaea beggaria.

     Reply • 13 Oct 2017
• Stanwellia grisea Melbourne Trap-door Spider Melbourne Trapdoor Spider

  14 Jun 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  A long-legged dark brown spider with large fangs spotted crawling around the back yard. Fine short hairs on the legs and abdomen gave it a silky look. The small abdomen and large palps suggest that it's a male.

  

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  Chris Lindorff starred this.
• Unidentified

  06 Jun 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  A handsome ghost moth with dark tented wings . The wings had a span of about 40 mm and showed pale curvy patterns. Antennae were feathery and the thorax had dense brown setae. Spotted near a national park - mixed native trees.

  

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  Cathy Powers and Mark Ridgway starred this.

  1. Cathy Powers  Leuba, I have been learning more about Heps and this is not Oncopera. Oncopera (both male and female) have short antennae. I will see if I can track down the ID because I don't know it.

     Reply • 01 Mar

  2. • Leuba Ridgway  Thank you for checking this one. I only just got to see this. I'll wait to hear from you.

       Reply • 04 May

     • • Cathy Powers  Hello Leuba - I finally cracked the ID. It is Oxycanus antipoda.

         Reply • 07 May
• Plesanemma fucata Fucata Gum Moth

  04 May 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Attracted to lights at our local CFA (in Dandenong Ranges NP)

  

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• Christinus marmoratus Marbled Gecko

  23 Apr 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Bertram Lobert

  Found in a pot plant.

  

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  Andrew Allen, Pauline McCarthy, and Chris Lindorff starred this.
• Anestia ombrophanes Clouded Footman Anestia ombrophanes Clouded Footman

  09 Apr 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  Three clouded footman males were seen fluttering around for awhile before settling on a door frame. On closer inspection I could see one of them was successful in finding and mating with a wingless female seen here as a furry white ovoid shape with thin black bands and pale orange spots along the sides. The males were of two sizes and had distinctly pectinated antennae. The mating male can be seen head pointing downwards. Beside the female was a hairy cocoon and an empty pupal case probably recently vacated by the female. Within the hairy cage was also small wrinkled piece of skin shed by the caterpillar before pupating. Pic 3 was taken 6 days later when two of the moths had flown away and the other was clear-off the female. The female had started laying eggs seen here as minute glistening orbs. The female had the same colours as seen on the caterpillar. Will wait to see what happens next.....

  

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  David Francis, Andrew Brown, Cathy Powers and 1 others starred this.

  1. David Francis  What a fantastic series of observations and notes. It took me a while to see that there were three males and one female.

     Reply • 11 Apr 2017

  2. • Leuba Ridgway  Thank you David. I have three more to add to this series. Was exciting to follow their progression..

       Reply • 08 May 2017

  3. Leuba Ridgway  David, I edited this spotting, loaded 3 more photos and added to the Description. But it doesn't seem to have worked. I can't find the photos anywhere. Should I load them as a separate spotting and if yes, how do I link the two. Thanks

     Reply • 08 May 2017

  4. • David Francis  Hi Leuba, I'm not sure why it hasn't worked. I'll check with Rylie the NS programmer.

       Reply • 08 May 2017

     • David Francis  Leuba, I think there is a limit to the file size total per observation. You could upload the new photos as a separate observation and put links (copy and paste) into the description for each obs.

       Reply • 10 May 2017

  5. Leuba Ridgway  Thank you David. Will do.

     Reply • 11 May 2017
• Papilio anactus Dainty Swallowtail Dingy Swallowtail

  22 Mar 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  This Chrysalis was seen about 12 days after the small early instar of this butterfly was seen. It was hard to differentiate between the pupa and plant stem as it looked very much in colour & form like a stem gall induced by a citrus gall wasp. One end of the 3 cm pupa was bifurcated.

  

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  David Francis starred this.
• Pterohelaeus spp.

  16 Mar 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  This dusty blue beetle was about 13 mm long. The dorso-ventrally flattened body had a flange around both the thorax and elytra. Spotted under bright lights in a suburban garden on a very warm night. This could be P.peltatus but needs confirmation.

  

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• Nacoleia rhoeoalis

  16 Mar 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  This moth had a wing span of about 20 mm. Wings were greyish green with thin black wriggly lines and dark brown patches. each fore wing showed a small patch of white. Spotted under bright lights near a suburban garden. My thanks to Cathy Powers for the ID.

  

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  1. Cathy Powers  Nacoleia rhoeoalis species id suggested

     Reply • 16 Mar 2017

  3. Leuba Ridgway  Thank you so much Cathy.

     Reply • 18 Mar 2017
• Papilio anactus Dainty Swallowtail Dingy Swallowtail

  09 Mar 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  Dainty Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillar - early instar

  

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• Syringoseca rhodoxantha

  01 Mar 2017 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  A small attractive red-orange moth with fine cream patterns. Wing span about 20 mm. Re-curved labial palps and long thin antennae.

  

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• Piloprepes anassa

  13 Dec 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Attracted to lights in urban back yard.

  

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• Acraspisoides helviarta

  21 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Stilletto fly. So busy and with those colours I'm suspecting some mimicry with jumping jack ants. An excellent defence strategy if true. 12mm long.

  

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  1. David Francis  Acraspisoides helviarta added

     Reply • 21 Nov 2016
• Nyssus coloripes Painted Swift Spider Spotted Ground Swift Spider

  16 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  A very fast spider exploring old bleached timber in our back yard.

  

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  1. David Francis  High image quality!

     Reply • 18 Nov 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Thanks David. Just luck I'm afraid. The auto-focus on the pocket cam works well with strongly contrasting light.

       Reply • 18 Nov 2016
• Unidentified

  15 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  A small seed bug type found on my young coriander leaves. Miridae, Lygaeidae? Alydidae maybe.. Still to search...

  

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• Simplicia armatalis Crescent Moth

  10 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Attracted to lights near midnight. Nice colour variation.

  

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  Chris Lindorff starred this.
• Thallarcha partita Dark-banded Footman

  08 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  We have had a large 'flush' of these over the last week - all in one area in our back yard.

  

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• Unidentified

  07 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Healthy looking Hepialid drawn to lights next to the national park. About 45mm long. I think it's male Aenetus blackburnii http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/hepi/blackburnii.html (currently not in database)

  

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  Cathy Powers starred this.
• Scoparia spelaea

  07 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Tiny moth metallic red with yellow markings. (flash used) 5mm length. UFTG CFA Thanks Cathy for the ID

  

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  1. Cathy Powers  Scoparia spelaea species id suggested

     Reply • 08 Nov 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Thanks Cathy. A crambid.. wonderful !?

       Reply • 08 Nov 2016
• Idaea halmaea Two-spotted Wave

  07 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  A small geometrid (Sterrhinae) with wingspan about 19mm Attracted to lights near midnight. UFTG CFA

  

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  Chris Lindorff starred this.
• Nacoleia rhoeoalis

  06 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  A small moth (about 12mm long) with posture like some pyralids but different looking head and interesting antennae which seemed locked together.

  

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  1. Cathy Powers  Nacoleia rhoeoalis species id suggested

     Reply • 09 Nov 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Thanks Cathy. Do you know anything about the fused antennae?

       Reply • 09 Nov 2016

     • • Cathy Powers  Not really but here is a possibility. I have photos of this moth and some have separated antennae and some appear to be 'fused'. Perhaps they come out of the cocoon with fused antennae and eventually the antennae move apart. Your moth looks really fresh.

         Reply • 10 Nov 2016
• Pseudomantis albofimbriata False Garden Mantis

  05 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Freshly hatched, dozens of these resembled small black ants. About 4mm long. I watched the adult planting it's ootheca last season. Pseudomantis albofimbriata - False garden mantid.

  

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  David Francis and Chris Lindorff starred this.

  1. David Francis  Name added to database.

     Reply • 17 Nov 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Thanks David.

       Reply • 17 Nov 2016
• Garrha repandula

  05 Nov 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  The Wingia group are easily identified by their conversations around lights like.... "Oh no.. not another light. I'm really bored with this" Attracted to light near midnight.

  

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  1. David Francis  Garrha repandula added to database.

     Reply • 09 Nov 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Thanks David.

       Reply • 09 Nov 2016
• Chrysodeixis argentifera Tobacco Looper

  20 Oct 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Sometimes they sit with wings flat rather than tented making them a much more attractive moth. Drawn to lights at the local CFA on the edge of a national park.

  

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• Pentatomidae spp. Stink Bug

  16 Oct 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Austromalaya reticulatus should not be in Victoria? And this one was dark... returning with more info.

  

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  1. David Francis  I don't think insects respect state borders but Austromalaya seems to have a tropical distribution.

     Reply • 20 Oct 2016

  2. • Mark Ridgway  Agreed. Pattern, antennal banding etc. looks good to me but colour and known range are out so another for BB. (I dread using BB) Thanks again.

       Reply • 20 Oct 2016
• Harmonia conformis

  23 Sep 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  Eggs of the 22 spotted ladybird, Harmonia conformis The layer left the scene just as we turned up.

  

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  Chris Lindorff starred this.
• Eurymeloides marmorata

  19 Sep 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  About 10mm long; exploring the leaves of a eucalyptus sapling.

  

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• Crucibulum laeve Common Bird?s Nest Common Birds Nest

  14 Aug 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Leuba Ridgway

  

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• Stereum hirsutum Hairy Curtain Crust

  14 Aug 2016 • -37.9,145.3 • Mark Ridgway

  These velvety walls were squeezing out of longitudinal crevices in an old eucalyptus log. About 30mm tall and 2 metres long.

  

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  Cathy Powers starred this.