Order Lepidoptera

This page contains pictures and information about Moths that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

Most butterflies are colourful and fly by day while most moths are dull in colour and active at night. However there are some exceptions, a few species of moths are day flying and as colourful as butterflies. The major different between butterflies and moths are when at rest, most butterflies hold their wings upright over their back while the moths usually hold  their wings open and flat. Their antennae are also different. Most butterflies have their antennae smooth and straight, with a 'club' at the end. Moths have their antennae without club and some are feather like. 

Moths are much more diverse than butterflies in Brisbane and most of them we found are not yet identified. Their body size are range from 3mm to 60mm. The larva is caterpillar, with a head and soft thorax and usually 10- segmented abdomen. They are complete metamorphosis. The adults are usually feed on nectar and pollen, while most caterpillars feed on plants leave, but some are feed on wood or roots.

Family Anthelidae - Anthelid Moths The Caterpillars are from medium to very large size. They are very hairy. Their heads are large, and usually have the wearing sunglass look. ANTHELIDAE moths fly at night. They have stout hairy body and board wings.

Family Arctiidae - Tiger Moths Most Caterpillars of the ARCTIIDAE are covered in dense dark hairs. The caterpillars are small to medium size. The adults usually have bright warning colour patterns, which are spotted in red, orange, black or white. Their abdomen usually striped with black and yellow-red colour.

 

Family Geometridae - Looper

Most Caterpillars in this family only have one or two pair of prolegs. They move with curving their bodies into loops and usually hairless and with slender body. The moths have camouflaged wing patterns of wavy lines extend across both fore and hind wings.

 

Family Limacodidae - Cup Moths

They are named 'Cup Moths' because the shape of their pupal cocoon look like a cup. Most caterpillars have their stinging hairs when disturbed, and they usually have the bright warning colours. Adults have fat and furry bodies, from small to medium size.

 

Family Lymantriidae - Tussock Moths

Their Caterpillars are also hairy, often with four distinct tussocks of hair on their back make them look like a toothbrush. Moths in this family are small to medium size with hairy body. They held their board wings like roots over their abdomen at rest.

 

Family Noctuidae - Armyworms and Semi-Loppers

Their Caterpillars are usually smooth or with little hairs. They are from small to large size. The adults mainly fly at night. They usually feed on nectar from flowers or ripe fruit. Most are dull in colour, but some have colourful hindwings.   

 

Family Psychidae - Case Moths

Most species the caterpillars live in a mobile case. The case is made of silk and plants materials. Each species make case in different shapes. For some species, if it is a female, it will not develop wings and will never come out of the bag. It just wait for a winged male in her bag.

Family Pyralidae - Pyralid Moths

In general, Pyralid moths wings are in triangular shape when in rest. They are small in size and have relatively long legs.       

                                          

 

Family Sphingidae - Hawk Moths 

They are large to very large moths.

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