Macroglossum errans
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: Northern Territory, QLD and NSW south to Wollongong.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in December & January.
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: Northern Territory, QLD and NSW south to Wollongong.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in December & January.
Macroglossum errans
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: Northern Territory, QLD and NSW south to Wollongong.
Moth Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval food plants:
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Not confirmed but thought to be Oct to April.
Breeding season in FNQ: Thought to be continuous throughout the year.
Breeding season in SEQ & NE NSW:, thought to be limited to Sept to May
Flight habit: Nocturnal & Diurnal - Active at night and during the day including the dusk and dawn periods.
Adult Moth: Size at rest - tip of thorax to tip of forewing: ?? - ??mm
Mature larva: length - 50-55mm.
Larva colour forms: 1st, 2nd & 3rd instar larva appear to always be green.
There are a range of colour forms in the 4th & 5th instars. They range from basic colour forms of GREEN, BROWN, BLACK & YELLOW but each larva may have a range of markings with additional colours. No two larva in these instars appear to be identical with variations occurring in the basic colour, in the spotting markings and in the colours (white, black & red) and positioning of fine markings.
January/February/March 2022:
5 x 5th instar larva pupated on the following dates #1 - 16/01/22, #2 - 19/01/22, #3 - 20/01/22, #4 - 26/01/22, #5 - 13/02/22.
they emerged as follows #1 - 27/02/22, #2 - 03/03/22, #3 - 06/03/22, #4 - 29/03/22, #5
approx timing where known #1 - unknown, #2 - evening, #3 approx 21.00 #4 - approx 20.00 #5
17/02/22 ID Advice for Macroglossum errans adults on this page: The page looks great, all the adults are Macroglossum errans (Dominic Funnell). Reference below.
The only potential confusion species would be Macroglossum rectans and the angle of the white as it touches the costal margin - sloped in Macroglossum errans and straight in Macroglossum rectans. The extent and thickness of the white bar in Macroglossum errans is highly variable (refer Hawkmoths of Australia, Moulds,Tuttle, Lane - 2020).
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: Northern Territory, QLD and NSW south to Wollongong.
Moth Sightings:
- DORRIGO PLATEAU (Claire Cottage)
- Dec 2005,
- Jan 01/01/22 (08.00pm),
- Feb 2024 (11.30pm),
- ELSEWHERE: Not sighted to date.
Larva Sightings:
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: Coffs Harbour Botanical Gardens Jan 11th 2022
Larval food plants:
- DORRIGO PLATEAU (Claire Cottage) : RUBIACEAE: Coprosma repens* (Mirror bush), Gynochthodes (syn Morinda) jasminoides, Psychotria daphnoides, Psychotria loniceroides (Hairy Psychotria);
- ELSEWHERE: as for Dorrigo Plateau and RUBIACEAE: Coelospermum reticulatum (Medicine bush - Nth Aust), Morinda citrifolia, Pavetta australiensis, Psydrax odorata (was Canthium odoratum - Perfumed Prydrax), Psychotria poliostemma;
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Not confirmed but thought to be Oct to April.
Breeding season in FNQ: Thought to be continuous throughout the year.
Breeding season in SEQ & NE NSW:, thought to be limited to Sept to May
Flight habit: Nocturnal & Diurnal - Active at night and during the day including the dusk and dawn periods.
Adult Moth: Size at rest - tip of thorax to tip of forewing: ?? - ??mm
Mature larva: length - 50-55mm.
Larva colour forms: 1st, 2nd & 3rd instar larva appear to always be green.
There are a range of colour forms in the 4th & 5th instars. They range from basic colour forms of GREEN, BROWN, BLACK & YELLOW but each larva may have a range of markings with additional colours. No two larva in these instars appear to be identical with variations occurring in the basic colour, in the spotting markings and in the colours (white, black & red) and positioning of fine markings.
January/February/March 2022:
5 x 5th instar larva pupated on the following dates #1 - 16/01/22, #2 - 19/01/22, #3 - 20/01/22, #4 - 26/01/22, #5 - 13/02/22.
they emerged as follows #1 - 27/02/22, #2 - 03/03/22, #3 - 06/03/22, #4 - 29/03/22, #5
approx timing where known #1 - unknown, #2 - evening, #3 approx 21.00 #4 - approx 20.00 #5
17/02/22 ID Advice for Macroglossum errans adults on this page: The page looks great, all the adults are Macroglossum errans (Dominic Funnell). Reference below.
The only potential confusion species would be Macroglossum rectans and the angle of the white as it touches the costal margin - sloped in Macroglossum errans and straight in Macroglossum rectans. The extent and thickness of the white bar in Macroglossum errans is highly variable (refer Hawkmoths of Australia, Moulds,Tuttle, Lane - 2020).