Eastern Dusk-flat (Common Red-eye) Chaetocneme beata
Wingspan: 47 - 52mm - of a correctly set specimen.
Wingspan: 70 - 80mm - live specimen at rest.
Sighted at Claire Cottage: Dec, Jan & Feb
Distribution: From Kuranda FNQ to the Illawarra area in NSW
Status Claire Cottage: sightings are increasing year on year.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: unknown
Wingspan: 47 - 52mm - of a correctly set specimen.
Wingspan: 70 - 80mm - live specimen at rest.
Sighted at Claire Cottage: Dec, Jan & Feb
Distribution: From Kuranda FNQ to the Illawarra area in NSW
Status Claire Cottage: sightings are increasing year on year.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: unknown
Nearing dark on 20th Dec 2017, we observed an Eastern Dusk-flat feeding on Buddleia flowers. Occasionally it fluttered its wings continuously in the way Hawk Moths do when preparing to fly. Interesting to see this butterfly so relaxed hours after other butterflies had ceased flying.
Eastern Dusk-flat (Common Red-eye) Chaetocneme beata
Wingspan: 47 - 52mm - of a correctly set specimen.
Wingspan: 70 - 80mm - live specimen at rest.
Sighted at Claire Cottage: Dec, Jan & Feb
Distribution: From Kuranda FNQ to the Illawarra area in NSW
Status Claire Cottage: sightings are increasing year on year as we transform this small property from kikuyu cattle grazing back to warm temperate and sub-tropical rainforest.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: unknown
Butterfly Sightings:
Sex of adult specimens attracted to light
Dec 2010-F 2017, 2018-2M, 2019-1M,-2 ? 2021-1M, 2022-F2f, 2023-1M, Jan 2007-M, 2018-F, 2019(2), 2021M&F, 2022F, 2023-6M & 4F, Feb 2021, 2023 (3F-3M)-
Sex of adult specimens seen during daylight
Dec 2017-1M, 2018-1M,
Jan
Feb 2023-1M,
Totals of females & males seen each year
Males -2007-1; 2010-0; 2017-?; 2018-2; 2019-1m & 2?; 2021-1m & 1f &1?; 2022-1; 2023-9
Females--2007-0; 2010-1; 2017-?; 2018-1; 2019-1m & 2?; 2021-1m & 1f &1?; 2022-2; 2023-7
Larva Sightings:
Larval Food Plants:
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to April. Most often seen when attracted to light. eg 16/12/19 @ 20.15 hrs, 17/12/19 @ 20.00 hrs, 19/12/19 @ 20.30 hrs, 28 & 29/12/22 @ 21.00 hrs, 6 & 8/01/23 @ 21.30 hrs, 01/02/23 4 before 09.30hrs.
First warm season sighting 2022 - 28/12/22
Last warm season sighting 2022 - 07/02/23
Flight habit: Crepuscular (becomes active at twilight) mostly resting throughout the day on the underside of leaves. Exception photographed feeding on Buddleia @ ?? on ??/??/23
Habitat: East Coast often near Rainforest - subtropical, warm temperate & littoral and in urban areas.
Items of Interest:
2007 - A rare sighting here, attracted to our moth light or to our Buddleia flowers, by their strong scent. We hope to see more of these special butterflies as we are planting more of their rainforest larval food trees, many close to our cottage. The young trees are slowly converting our kikuyu paddocks back to their original rainforest habitat. Our evening sightings in Dec 2018 & Jan 2019, were of two butterflies at the same time, on the same buddleia, both in sight of each other but feeding on separate flowers.
Eastern Dusk-flat larvae after emerging from their egg cut out a piece of leaf and fold it back to form a shelter on the leaf surface. More mature larvae form a shelter by attaching two leaves together. Larvae stay in these shelters during the day and come out to feed at night.
The Eastern Dusk-flat rests on flowers and leaves with its wings open. It's red eyes distinguish it from the Bronze Flat. The white wing markings seem to differ in each specimen.
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Wingspan: 47 - 52mm - of a correctly set specimen.
Wingspan: 70 - 80mm - live specimen at rest.
Sighted at Claire Cottage: Dec, Jan & Feb
Distribution: From Kuranda FNQ to the Illawarra area in NSW
Status Claire Cottage: sightings are increasing year on year as we transform this small property from kikuyu cattle grazing back to warm temperate and sub-tropical rainforest.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: unknown
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Dec 2010, 2017, 2018(2), 2019(3), 2021(1)-17th 2022(2)-28th & 29th*, 2023(2), Jan 2007, 2018, 2019(2), 2021(2), 2022, 2023(10), 2024(1)- Feb 2021, 2023(6)-
- * 18/01/23 - two different Common Red-eye's came to light tonight - wingspans of live insects 80mm & 70mm
- * 01/02/23 - four different Common Red-eye's came to light before 09.30pm.
- Elsewhere on the DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Sex of adult specimens attracted to light
Dec 2010-F 2017, 2018-2M, 2019-1M,-2 ? 2021-1M, 2022-F2f, 2023-1M, Jan 2007-M, 2018-F, 2019(2), 2021M&F, 2022F, 2023-6M & 4F, Feb 2021, 2023 (3F-3M)-
Sex of adult specimens seen during daylight
Dec 2017-1M, 2018-1M,
Jan
Feb 2023-1M,
Totals of females & males seen each year
Males -2007-1; 2010-0; 2017-?; 2018-2; 2019-1m & 2?; 2021-1m & 1f &1?; 2022-1; 2023-9
Females--2007-0; 2010-1; 2017-?; 2018-1; 2019-1m & 2?; 2021-1m & 1f &1?; 2022-2; 2023-7
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larval Food Plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE:
- EUPOMATIACEAE - Eupomatia laurina (Bolwarra)
- LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya microneura (Murrogun), Cryptocarya rigida (Rose Maple), Neolitsea dealbata (White Bolly Gum)
- MALVACEAE - Commersonia bartramia
- MYRTACEAE - Acmena spp., Lophostemon confertus (Brush Box),
- RUTACEAE - Melicope spp.
- Elsewhere on the DORRIGO PLATEAU:
- LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya erythroxylon (Pigeonberry Ash), Litsea leefeana (Brown Bolly Gum),
- MALVACEAE - Hibiscus sp* Commersonia sp.,-
- ELSEWHERE: (as for above listings plus)
- ANNONACEAE - Annona reticulata (Custard Apple)*
- EUPHORBIACEAE - Croton insularis (Silver Croton)
- LAURACEAE - Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor Laurel)*
- SANTALACEAE - Exocarpos latifolius
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to April. Most often seen when attracted to light. eg 16/12/19 @ 20.15 hrs, 17/12/19 @ 20.00 hrs, 19/12/19 @ 20.30 hrs, 28 & 29/12/22 @ 21.00 hrs, 6 & 8/01/23 @ 21.30 hrs, 01/02/23 4 before 09.30hrs.
First warm season sighting 2022 - 28/12/22
Last warm season sighting 2022 - 07/02/23
Flight habit: Crepuscular (becomes active at twilight) mostly resting throughout the day on the underside of leaves. Exception photographed feeding on Buddleia @ ?? on ??/??/23
Habitat: East Coast often near Rainforest - subtropical, warm temperate & littoral and in urban areas.
Items of Interest:
2007 - A rare sighting here, attracted to our moth light or to our Buddleia flowers, by their strong scent. We hope to see more of these special butterflies as we are planting more of their rainforest larval food trees, many close to our cottage. The young trees are slowly converting our kikuyu paddocks back to their original rainforest habitat. Our evening sightings in Dec 2018 & Jan 2019, were of two butterflies at the same time, on the same buddleia, both in sight of each other but feeding on separate flowers.
Eastern Dusk-flat larvae after emerging from their egg cut out a piece of leaf and fold it back to form a shelter on the leaf surface. More mature larvae form a shelter by attaching two leaves together. Larvae stay in these shelters during the day and come out to feed at night.
The Eastern Dusk-flat rests on flowers and leaves with its wings open. It's red eyes distinguish it from the Bronze Flat. The white wing markings seem to differ in each specimen.
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