Black And White Tiger Moth: Spilosoma glatignyi

Macro image of caterpillar 

Caterpillar

Class: Insecta 

Order: Lepidoptera 

Family: Arctiidae 

Ardices glatignyi

(Formerly Spilosoma glatignyi)

This Black And White Tiger Moth is an Australian moth that is easily identified by the black/brown pattern in white wings. The abdomen has black and orange horizontal stripes. Thorax is covered in white hairs. It has black eyes with variable orange pattern on the head. 

The above photos were taken during different times. The first photo was in Summer 2014. The second and the third photos were taken in Autumn 2015 which show the eggs laid by the female. The caterpillars (at a late instar phase) are black and orange. They are very hairy. The mandibles and thoracic legs are bright red. I have seen the caterpilars voraciously feed on African Daisy.

Reference:

butterflyhouse.com.au

Angled Satin Moth: Thalaina angulosa

Angled Satin Moth, Underside

Class: Insecta 

Order: Lepidoptera: 

Family: Geometridae

Thalaina angulosa

This beautiful moth was attracted to my kitchen window light on an autumn evening. This moth has satin-like white wings. The forewing has a stark orange line pattern on it. The orange lines have a black margin, making the pattern stand out on the white background. The hindwing is mostly white with a black wavy patch on it.
The pattern of the orange line is specific to this moth. It can be easily confused with Thalania clara. The orange line of T. angulosa runs from almost parallel to the margin of the forewing (base to the centre of the margin) T. clara can be seen here 

Reference: butterflyhouse.com.au/

Heliotrope Moth: Utetheisa pulchelloides

Class: Insecta 

Order: Lepidoptera 

Family: Arctiidae 

Subfamily: Arctiinae 

Utetheisa pulchelloides

This pretty moth was my nighttime kitchen window visitor on a fine spring evening. This moth is small with a wingspan of about 4 cms. It has white wings with beautiful orange and black spots. The costal margin of the forewing has a broken orange line, the fringe has dark spots. The underside of the moth also has black and orange pattern. 

Reference: butterflyhouse.com.au

Trichoplusia lectula

Location: Bunbury

Season Winter

Class: Insecta 

Order: Lepidoptera 

Family: Noctuidae 

Trichoplusia lectula

This unglamourous drab moth was found on our window one sunny afternoon. This moth has dark brown forewings and pale hind wings. When the moth rests, the folded forewings have a pattern resembling horns. It looks like the moth has horns on its back. There is a cream line from the base to the edge of the forewing. 

Reference: Butterflyhouse.com.au

Green Forester Moth

Spring in the South West of Australia is the wild flower season. Manea Park in Bunbury is one of the nature reserves that has an incredible landscape, some rare orchids and birds. The beautiful orchid blooms not only attract flower enthusiasts and photographers, but also attract many pretty bugs. I spotted this tiny moth that was shimmering in sunlight with a metallic green, orange, golden yellow multi chrome velvety sheen. Simply stunning and very elegant in its poise. 

It is the Green Forester Moth or The Satin Green Forester Moth.

It is a moth belonging to the family Zygaenidae. Of the 43 species of Australian Zygaenids, there are two species that are indigenous to Western Australia Pollanisus Nielseni and Pollanisus Cupreus. The one I spotted looks like P. nielseni. 

Here are some macro photos I managed to click. Just look at the multi chromatic, holographic metallic beauty!

Macro Photo of Forester Moth

Forester Moth (Pollanisus Nielseni) feeding on Cape Weed (Arctotheca calendula)
Look at the proboscis!

Forester Moth on Cape Weed

Forester Moth feeding with its proboscis

Further reading: Wikipedia: Pollanisus Nielseni
All photos in this post are mine.