Cizara ardeniae (Coprosma Hawk Moth)
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
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Distribution:  Cape York, FNQ to Sydney, NSW

Sighted at Claire Cottage: between September & February.

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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, 2 Nov 2017
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, 2 Nov 2017
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2012
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, March 2003 (scanned from a print)
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2012
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2012
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Cizara ardeniae, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, 2 Nov 2017
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Cizara ardeniae, early 1980's, Forestville NSW
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Wild egg laid on Morinda jasminoides leaf underside, Claire Cottage rainforest edge Oct 2020 - found 29/10/20
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The same wild egg deposited on a Morinda jasminoides leaf underside, Claire Cottage rainforest edge Oct 2020
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Newly hatched 1st instar, 2 Nov 2020. Has finished its first meal eating its egg shell - remains seen above the larva.
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Cizara ardeniae, final instar 'black form', Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2016
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Cizara ardeniae, final instar 'black form', Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2016
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Cizara ardeniae, final instar larva, a close-up of the beautiful colouring of this dark form larva. Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, Dec 2016
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Green form of Cizara ardeniae, final instar larva, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, 28 Dec 2017
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C. ardeniae larvae have a stout, downward curved horn - which is deep blue in the green form
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Cizara ardeniae, cocoon - 'dark form' constructed in leaf litter, Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau, NSW Dec 2016
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Hatched pupa
Cizara ardeniae (Coprosma Hawk Moth)
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.

Distribution:  Cape York, FNQ to Sydney, NSW 
 
Moth Sightings:  
  • DORRIGO PLATEAU: Sept 2004, Oct 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020 {5}; Nov 2017, 2020(2); Dec 2012, 2019, 2020,  Jan 2020 Feb 2019
  • ELSEWHERE:  None to date

Egg Sightings:
 *    DORRIGO PLATEAU: Oct 24th 2020 on Morinda jasminoides @ Claire Cottage

Larva Sightings: 
  • DORRIGO PLATEAU:  2004, Dec 2016, 2017, Jan 2018
  • ELSEWHERE:  Forestville, Sydney during 1970's & 1980's.

Larval food plants:
  • DORRIGO PLATEAU:  Rubiaceae:  Gynochthodes jasminoides (=Morinda jasminoides), Coprosma repens*
  • ELSEWHERE: as for Dorrigo plus Rubiaceae: Coelospermum paniculatum var. ​syncarpum (= Morinda salmonensis), Coprosma quadrifida, Coprosma lucida*, Coprosma repens (variegated form)*
 
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau:  Thought to be September to April

Flight habit: Nocturnal - Active at night.

Adult Moth:  Size at rest - tip of thorax to tip of forewing: 38mm. Tip of forewing to tip of other forewing: 40mm
Mature larva:  length - ??mm.     Colour forms in the final instar are a Green form, a Brown form & a Black form
Caudal Horn
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​Interesting observations
* 24/10/20; 4 adults located @ 01.00pm resting high in our shade house which has an open door.
* 24/10/20 & 25/10/20; 4 adults caged on both nights with cuttings of Morinda jasminoides in an attempt to obtain eggs, no eggs deposited. The 4 moths were released after dark on 26/10/20.
* Conclusion: either this species is reluctant to deposit eggs in captivity or these 4 moths had not mated prior to capture.
* 29/10/20 Found a wild egg.
* 02/11/20 Wild egg hatched.