Golden Sun Moth
CASTNIIDAE
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(Picture: courtesy of
Jenny Holmes, Great Western, Victoria)
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(Picture: courtesy of
Jenny Holmes, Great Western, Victoria)
The Caterpillars of this species are thought to feed on the roots of various grasses ( POACEAE ), including :
The caterpillars pupate in silk-lined tunnels beside their foodplant.
The adult moths have brown forewings with wiggly white circular markings. The hindwings of the male are dark brown. The hindwings of the female are orange with brown markings. The undersides of the female are white with brown margins and spots. The undersides of the male are brown with white markings.
The females are quite sedentary, and commonly sit displaying their orange hindwings, presumably awaiting discovery by passing males.
The species has been found in
This species is considered to be endangered. Its status is being studied at York Park in Canberra and Mount Piper in Victoria. Attempts are being made to conserve its environment by the University of Melbourne, the CSIRO, the Melbourne Zoo, and the Royal Canberra Golf Club.
Further reading :
Michael S. Braby & M. Dunford,
Field Observations on the ecology of the Golden Sun Moth
Synemon plana Walker (Lepidoptera: CASTNIIDAE),
The Australian Entomologist, Volume 33, Part 2
(June 2006), pp. 103-110.
Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pls. 6.15, 6.16, pp. 284-285.
Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards,
A Guide to Australian Moths,
CSIRO Publishing, 2007, pp. 26, 104.
 caterpillar |
 butterflies |
 caterpillars |
 moths |
 caterpillar |
(updated 31 October 2010)