Psilogramma maxmouldsi
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: South-eastern Queensland south from Miriam Vale to Wingham in NSW.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February and November 2018
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Please note: there are seven known species of Psilogramma in Australia. The adults all resemble each other in appearance. Identification therefore requires great care. Of assistance is knowing where your specimen was sighted. Utilising some of the descriptive aids found in 'Hawkmoths of Australia' Moulds, Tuttle and Lane, (page 212) will prove of great benefit in attempting to identify adult Psilogramma's. Factors such as the condition of your specimen and the quality of any photograph will both play an important role in assisting identification.
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Warning issued by the Authors of the 2020 'Hawkmoths of Australia' book (Moulds,Tuttle,Lane)
Psilogramma species are difficult to identify. All species are highly variable in markings, colour and size, and most have no single defining feature.
Whilst the Adult Key the Authors have created in their book is very helpful in attempting accurate identification, they also provide a detailed description of each moth, and its early stages. Identification remains tricky and considerable care is needed. To further assist identification, location and food plant (for larva), as well as time of the year, should be taken into account.
******************************************************************************************
GENERAL INFORMATION
The publication of the new book 'Hawkmoths of Australia', (Moulds, Tuttle & Lane) 2020 provides a wealth of information to assist in Australian Hawkmoth ID's including Psilogramma IDs.
For us, prior to publication of the new Hawkmoth book, it was an interesting study trying to discover ways of identifying Psilogramma adults visually for each of the seven, Psilogramma species. However we failed to come up with a foolproof method of doing this.
*****************************************************************************************************
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: South-eastern Queensland south from Miriam Vale to Wingham in NSW.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February and November 2018
******************************************************************************************
Please note: there are seven known species of Psilogramma in Australia. The adults all resemble each other in appearance. Identification therefore requires great care. Of assistance is knowing where your specimen was sighted. Utilising some of the descriptive aids found in 'Hawkmoths of Australia' Moulds, Tuttle and Lane, (page 212) will prove of great benefit in attempting to identify adult Psilogramma's. Factors such as the condition of your specimen and the quality of any photograph will both play an important role in assisting identification.
*****************************************************************************************************
Warning issued by the Authors of the 2020 'Hawkmoths of Australia' book (Moulds,Tuttle,Lane)
Psilogramma species are difficult to identify. All species are highly variable in markings, colour and size, and most have no single defining feature.
Whilst the Adult Key the Authors have created in their book is very helpful in attempting accurate identification, they also provide a detailed description of each moth, and its early stages. Identification remains tricky and considerable care is needed. To further assist identification, location and food plant (for larva), as well as time of the year, should be taken into account.
******************************************************************************************
GENERAL INFORMATION
The publication of the new book 'Hawkmoths of Australia', (Moulds, Tuttle & Lane) 2020 provides a wealth of information to assist in Australian Hawkmoth ID's including Psilogramma IDs.
For us, prior to publication of the new Hawkmoth book, it was an interesting study trying to discover ways of identifying Psilogramma adults visually for each of the seven, Psilogramma species. However we failed to come up with a foolproof method of doing this.
*****************************************************************************************************
Psilogramma maxmouldsi
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: South-eastern Queensland south from Miriam Vale to Wingham in NSW.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February and November 2018
Moth Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval food plants:
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be November to March
Flight habit: Nocturnal - Active at night.
Adult Moth: tip of thorax to tip of forewing: ??mm; tip of forewing horizontally at rest to tip of other forewing: ??mm
Mature larva: length - ??mm.
Colour form: Final instar: Green
Eye Spots: none
Other distinguishing features: In 5th instar 7 lateral white stripes edged by dark greenish black stripes each side.
Caudal Horn: Dark, straight, backward pointing, getting larger in each of first 3 instars. Continues to grow in 4th & 5th instars becoming lighter in colour.
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: South-eastern Queensland south from Miriam Vale to Wingham in NSW.
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February and November 2018
Moth Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: JAN FEB 2018 MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV 2018 DEC
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: LAMIACEAE: Clerodendrum floribundum
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: as for Claire Cottage
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Claire Cottage)
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be November to March
Flight habit: Nocturnal - Active at night.
Adult Moth: tip of thorax to tip of forewing: ??mm; tip of forewing horizontally at rest to tip of other forewing: ??mm
Mature larva: length - ??mm.
Colour form: Final instar: Green
Eye Spots: none
Other distinguishing features: In 5th instar 7 lateral white stripes edged by dark greenish black stripes each side.
Caudal Horn: Dark, straight, backward pointing, getting larger in each of first 3 instars. Continues to grow in 4th & 5th instars becoming lighter in colour.