Moths (Lepidoptera)

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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

Moths (Lepidoptera)

Anthelid moths (Anthelidae)

Case moths (Psychidae)

Concealer moths (Oecophoridae)

Curved-horn moths (all Gelechioidea except Oecophoridae)

Emperor moths (Saturniidae)

Geometer moths (Geometridae)

Hawk moths (Sphingidae)

Noctuoid moths (except Arctiinae)

Pyralid or Snout Moths (Pyralidae & Crambidae)

Sun moths (Castniidae)

Swift and Ghost moths (Hepialidae)

Tiger moths (Arctiinae)

Tortricid moths (Tortricidae)

Wood moths (Cossidae)

Other moths

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Discussion

ibaird wrote:

Yesterday

See 'Moths in the ACT (Cocking et al 2022). p. 211.

Psilogramma casuarinae

WendyEM wrote:

Yesterday

I'd still go with Chelepteryx collesi. Most images (incl. Don's site) of C. chalepteryx have a distinct stripe along the back, lacks the white rings around the body (has diagonal dashes instead) and has less and shorter 'hairs' on the 'face' than above. The 'hairs' of C. chalepteryx are mostly brown, on C. collesi (and above) they have a strong red colour and are interspersed with strong white ones. The blobs (being slack and not looking up correct term!) running along the back are closer together (across the body) and yellow in C. collesi (and above), likewise anal claspers and prolegs are yellow. These are beige in C. chalepteryx .
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?place_id=6744&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=355221
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?place_id=6744&q=larva&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=465428

Chelepteryx collesi

ibaird wrote:

24 Jan 2026

A nice correction. Thank you RAllen.. A sound hypothesis based on ecology!

Notocrambus cuprealis

ibaird wrote:

24 Jan 2026

Chelepteryx chalepteryx?
https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/anth/chalepteryx.html

Chelepteryx collesi

WendyEM wrote:

24 Jan 2026

Well spotted! Definitely not a russet/tan brown moth with bold white lines. Oenogenes fugalis also does not have the metallic sheen.