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Lasiocampidae.
Genduara punctigera (Walker 1855)
Crexa Moth.
(Photo 319
male.. L. Jenkins.2002)
The caterpillars of the Crexa moth can be found during the cooler days,
resting under the top leaves of its food plant.
( photo 295. Crexa moth
caterpillar. L. Jenkins)
It eats Acacia leiophlla
bush, growing wild in the Coffin Bay area.
( photo 374 crexa eggs)
Eggs were deposited
in class on 5th September, and the life cycle photographed and
documented.
(Photo.059.
L. Jenkins 2002)
It has whiskers pointing forward from both sides of its head.
The pupa was in a papery cocoon on the food plant and took 29 days
to emerge in our classroom.
The male moth has almost transparent wings, is black with a few
white spots, and a very arrogant stance.
The female is larger, has a wingspan of 3.cms. It has a distinctive diamond on
its tail .
(Photo
142(females) L. Jenkins.2002)
These moths are found at Little Swamp, 5 kms from Pt. Lincoln,
and Coffin Bay ,37 kms from Lincoln.
When I can get the food plant accurately identified I will
include it
on these pages ,because the Porelas and
Omphaliodes
obscuras also eat the same plant.
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Pinara lasio divisa
(Photo 744. L. Jenkins. Port Lincoln Junior Primary School )
This female divisa
was found by children at school on 26th of Nov 2007.
She has not dried
well but had mated and laid eggs.
(
Photo 748. eggs. 27. Nov. 07. L. Jenkins.)
Two emerged and
ate gum leaves. I
released them onto the tree to mature. I hope to be able to find another
and follow its growth more closely.
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Porela
(Photo 861 and 824 L. Jenkins 2002)
This moth was found at Coffin bay. These moths are well known in
South Australia and the Nullabor west.
It has feathery antennae and a prominent white spot on each forewing.
When it is alert, it holds the antennae back and looks quite fierce.
(Photo
824. L. Jenkins.2002)
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Porela albifinis (or similar to....from Tasmania)
(Photo 893 and 849. L. Jenkins 2002)
The fore wings are patterned in dark grey and white, and the under
wings are a brilliant white. With brown feathered antennae, this is an
exquisite moth.
These are also caught at Coffin Bay and Little Swamp.
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Porela
Similar to
Symphyta oxyramma(lower)
normally found at Broken hill
(Photo 894 L. Jenkins. 2003)
These moths were collected at coffin bay and one of them laid eggs.
(Photo 30 . L. Jenkins. 2003.)
The caterpillars took over a month to hatch but the weather has been bitterly cold.
Photo 50 . L. Jenkins 2003.)
I am hoping to rear them but am still experimenting with food.
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Gastropachinae
Pernattia pusilla (Donovan 1805)
She-oak moth.
(Photo 899.female and eggs. L. Jenkins.2002)
Our first larvae were hatched in class and ate the local she-oaks well.
They are an easy classroom project, for any teacher wishing to show
the breeding cycle of a moth.
(Photo 004. first instar. L. Jenkins. 2002)
They grew to a length of 4.cms,
(Photo 61. caterpillar 4.cms. L. Jenkins)
and made tidy cocoons amongst the
leaves of the She-oak.
(Photo 305. L. Jenkins. 2002)
The male moths emerged smaller and more colourful
(Photo 900. male. L. Jenkins. 2002.)
than the females, who had a wingspan of 3.5 cms..
(Photo 898. female. L. Jenkins. 2002)
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Pararguda rufescens
(Photo 859 L. Jenkins. 2002.)
These moths are easily attracted to the light and are caught in
Pt. Lincoln.
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Pararguda nasuta (Lewin)
The Wattle Snout Moth breeds well at Pt. Lincoln, and is easy to study in the classroom.
(Photo 885. L. Jenkins. 2002.)
The caterpillars we raised in class were grey, brown, green combination
but I found a red specimen at Coffin Bay during October.
(Photo 853-854. L. Jenkins. 2002)
They made neat little cocoons of wattle leaves.
(Photo 865. L. Jenkins. 2002)
These moths emerged in class.
(Photo 887. L. Jenkins 2002)
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Entometa fervens (Walker)
Gum Snout Moth.
(Photo. 906. eggs. L. Jenkins. 2002)
Eggs were laid on
4th Feb 2004 and moths were emerging from May to August.
The larvae feed on
the leaves of the South Australian Blue Gum.
(Photo. 904. female. L. Jenkins 2002)
(photo
475.male Gum snout moth. L. Jenkins)
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Moths of the West coast.