Theretra indistincta indistincta
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: North of WA., Top End N.T., FNQ south to Sydney, NSW.
Range extension - 20/12/19 - adult photographed in Toormina, Coffs Harbour by Nick Lambert
Range extension - 23/02/20 - adult photographed in Dorrigo by Trevor Deane
Range extension - 04/02/21 - larva found in Kur-ring-gai Chase NP by Peter Lawrence
Range extension - 12/03/21 - larva found Nr Church Point, Northern Beaches, Sydney.
Range extension - 18/04/22 - 4th instar larva found at Avalon, Sydney (Gary Harris, see photo above)
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February.
CARE: VERY SIMILAR SPECIES
Theretra celata --- Theretra indistincta --- Theretra inornata
These three Theretra species look similar in size but when seen together inornata is clearly a little smaller than celata and indistincta. They each have some colour ranges and their distribution ranges have many overlaps. Descriptions below are wild moths sitting naturally.
Theretra celata
* Forewings size - 38-51 mm long.
* Forewings colour - uniformly light yellowish brown but usually slightly darker below medial stripe.
* Forewings shadow zone - a small (approx 10% of wing area) darker shadow zone exists above the medial stripe.
* Antennae - pink when freshly emerged browning with age.
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - narrow dark brown to black, clearly exists from apex to inner margin.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - YES
* Discal spot - seldom present.
Theretra indistincta
* Forewings size - 35-48 mm long.
* Forewings colour - uniformly grey or greenish grey but partially darker below medial stripe.
* Forewings shadow zone - an area (approx 25% of wing area) darker shadow zone exists transversing above and below the medial stripe.
* Antennae - pinkish when freshly emerged becoming dull white with age.
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - a thin dark stripe (with often a narrow lighter coloured zone above it) running from near central inner margin to near wing apex where it fades - often replaced by a second short blurred stripe to apex.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - NO
* Discal spot - nearly always present, very small, black in colour.
Theretra inornata
* Forewings size - 29-42mm long.
* Forewings colour - usually a light greyish brown but occassionally a much darker brown.
* Forewings shadow zone - none exists.
* Antennae - white. (Moulds,Tuttle & Lane do not address antennae colour).
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - usually a dark stripe, from near central inner margin to near wing apex where it fades - often replaced by a second short blurred stripe to apex.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - not always - sometimes becomes blurred near apex, sometimes ends just short of apex.
* Discal spot - sometimes present, very small, black in colour.
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We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: North of WA., Top End N.T., FNQ south to Sydney, NSW.
Range extension - 20/12/19 - adult photographed in Toormina, Coffs Harbour by Nick Lambert
Range extension - 23/02/20 - adult photographed in Dorrigo by Trevor Deane
Range extension - 04/02/21 - larva found in Kur-ring-gai Chase NP by Peter Lawrence
Range extension - 12/03/21 - larva found Nr Church Point, Northern Beaches, Sydney.
Range extension - 18/04/22 - 4th instar larva found at Avalon, Sydney (Gary Harris, see photo above)
Sighted at Claire Cottage in February.
CARE: VERY SIMILAR SPECIES
Theretra celata --- Theretra indistincta --- Theretra inornata
These three Theretra species look similar in size but when seen together inornata is clearly a little smaller than celata and indistincta. They each have some colour ranges and their distribution ranges have many overlaps. Descriptions below are wild moths sitting naturally.
Theretra celata
* Forewings size - 38-51 mm long.
* Forewings colour - uniformly light yellowish brown but usually slightly darker below medial stripe.
* Forewings shadow zone - a small (approx 10% of wing area) darker shadow zone exists above the medial stripe.
* Antennae - pink when freshly emerged browning with age.
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - narrow dark brown to black, clearly exists from apex to inner margin.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - YES
* Discal spot - seldom present.
Theretra indistincta
* Forewings size - 35-48 mm long.
* Forewings colour - uniformly grey or greenish grey but partially darker below medial stripe.
* Forewings shadow zone - an area (approx 25% of wing area) darker shadow zone exists transversing above and below the medial stripe.
* Antennae - pinkish when freshly emerged becoming dull white with age.
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - a thin dark stripe (with often a narrow lighter coloured zone above it) running from near central inner margin to near wing apex where it fades - often replaced by a second short blurred stripe to apex.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - NO
* Discal spot - nearly always present, very small, black in colour.
Theretra inornata
* Forewings size - 29-42mm long.
* Forewings colour - usually a light greyish brown but occassionally a much darker brown.
* Forewings shadow zone - none exists.
* Antennae - white. (Moulds,Tuttle & Lane do not address antennae colour).
* Thorax - a whitish stripe on the thorax adjacent to the wing base, intensity may vary between specimens.
* Medial stripe - usually a dark stripe, from near central inner margin to near wing apex where it fades - often replaced by a second short blurred stripe to apex.
* Medial stripe reaches apex - not always - sometimes becomes blurred near apex, sometimes ends just short of apex.
* Discal spot - sometimes present, very small, black in colour.
******************************************************************************************
Theretra indistincta indistincta
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: North of WA., Top End N.T., FNQ south to Sydney, NSW.
Range extension - 20/12/19 - adult photographed in Toormina, Coffs Harbour by Nick Lambert
Range extension - 23/02/20 - adult photographed in Dorrigo by Trevor Deane
Range extension - 04/02/21 - larva found in Kur-ring-gai Chase NP by Peter Lawrence
Range extension - 12/03/21 - larva found Nr Church Point, Northern Beaches, Sydney.
Range extension - 18/04/22 - 4th instar larva found at Avalon, Sydney (Gary Harris, see photo above)
Moth Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval food plants:
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to April
Flight habit: Nocturnal - Active at night.
Adult Moth: Colour: shades of brown/grey;
Size at rest - tip of thorax to tip of either forewing: ??mm; tip of forewing horizontally to tip of other forewing: ??mm
Mature larva: length - ??mm.
Colour form: Final instar: Green form & Brown form.
Eye Spots: Seven
Other distinguishing features: .
Caudal Horn: Forward curving & black in young larva but shorter backward-curving & red in final instar.
Pupa: Formed under leaf litter below food plant.
We have found this moth at Claire Cottage on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Distribution: North of WA., Top End N.T., FNQ south to Sydney, NSW.
Range extension - 20/12/19 - adult photographed in Toormina, Coffs Harbour by Nick Lambert
Range extension - 23/02/20 - adult photographed in Dorrigo by Trevor Deane
Range extension - 04/02/21 - larva found in Kur-ring-gai Chase NP by Peter Lawrence
Range extension - 12/03/21 - larva found Nr Church Point, Northern Beaches, Sydney.
Range extension - 18/04/22 - 4th instar larva found at Avalon, Sydney (Gary Harris, see photo above)
Moth Sightings:
- Claire Cottage DORRIGO PLATEAU: Feb 2020,
- ELSEWHERE: Toormina, Nr Coffs Harbour, Dec 20, 2019 · 9:28 PM (Nick Lambert)
Larva Sightings:
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: Garry Harris 18/04/22 (see photo) Avalon, Sydney 2022
Larval food plants:
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: VITACEAE - Cayratia clematidea, Cissus antarctica, *Vitis vinifera;
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Dorrigo Plateau plus) VITACEAE - Cayratia cardiophylla, Cissus reniformis, Leea indica (Bandicoot Berry).
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to April
Flight habit: Nocturnal - Active at night.
Adult Moth: Colour: shades of brown/grey;
Size at rest - tip of thorax to tip of either forewing: ??mm; tip of forewing horizontally to tip of other forewing: ??mm
Mature larva: length - ??mm.
Colour form: Final instar: Green form & Brown form.
Eye Spots: Seven
Other distinguishing features: .
Caudal Horn: Forward curving & black in young larva but shorter backward-curving & red in final instar.
Pupa: Formed under leaf litter below food plant.