#Tag · bonfire.cafe

OK. Four more moths. These are the four species that were new to our garden this spring.

I've been consistently putting out the moth light four nights every season since July 2021 and I'm still finding new species.

Blackheaded Leafroller, *Ctenopseustis obliquana*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798689

Golden-brown Fern Moth, *Musotima nitidalis*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

*Tingena melinella*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798772

Golden-brown Fern Moth *Musotima nitidalis*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

They're all native moths. Welcome to our garden.

#mothodon #moths #Lepdidoptera #entomology #insects #nz

A brown moth with a pale horizontal line across it, making it look like a leaf.

This is the Golden-brown Fern, Moth Musotima nitidalis.

For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764 — A brown moth with a pale horizontal line across it, making it look like a leaf. This is the Golden-brown Fern, Moth Musotima nitidalis. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

A photo of a small yellow moth with a brown head.

I've identified this as the NZ endemic moth Tingena melinella.

For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798772 — A photo of a small yellow moth with a brown head. I've identified this as the NZ endemic moth Tingena melinella. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798772

A photo of a small moth with triangular wings that it splays out above its body in an odd post. The wings have an elegant brown and cream pattern.

This is the NZ Golden-brown Fern Moth, Musotima nitidalis

For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764 — A photo of a small moth with triangular wings that it splays out above its body in an odd post. The wings have an elegant brown and cream pattern. This is the NZ Golden-brown Fern Moth, Musotima nitidalis For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

A photo of a small pale brown moth with darker brown blotches.

I've identified this as the Blackheaded Leafroller, Ctenopseustis obliquana.

For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798689 — A photo of a small pale brown moth with darker brown blotches. I've identified this as the Blackheaded Leafroller, Ctenopseustis obliquana. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798689

Jon Sullivan

@joncounts@mastodon.nz · last week

OK. Four more moths. These are the four species that were new to our garden this spring.

I've been consistently putting out the moth light four nights every season since July 2021 and I'm still finding new species.

Blackheaded Leafroller, *Ctenopseustis obliquana*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798689

Golden-brown Fern Moth, *Musotima nitidalis*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

*Tingena melinella*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798772

Golden-brown Fern Moth *Musotima nitidalis*: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764

They're all native moths. Welcome to our garden.

#mothodon #moths #Lepdidoptera #entomology #insects #nz

Jon Sullivan

@joncounts@mastodon.nz · last week

Wait, I've got more moths! (Yes, it's your lucky day.)

(Species names are in the alt-text)

#moths #mothodon #nz #Christchurch

A photo of a pale brown moth with fine wavy brown patterning.

This is the NZ Kanuka Looper moth, Poecilasthena schistaria

For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798722 — A photo of a pale brown moth with fine wavy brown patterning. This is the NZ Kanuka Looper moth, Poecilasthena schistaria For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798722

A photo of an elegant bright green moth with complicated wavy patterning.

This is the NZ Emerald Pug Moth, Pasiphila muscosata

For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845399 — A photo of an elegant bright green moth with complicated wavy patterning. This is the NZ Emerald Pug Moth, Pasiphila muscosata For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845399

A photo of a triangular brown moth with a long snout and two yellow-orange swirl patterns, one on each wing.

This is the Slender Owlet Moth, Rhapsa scotosialis.

For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324682177 — A photo of a triangular brown moth with a long snout and two yellow-orange swirl patterns, one on each wing. This is the Slender Owlet Moth, Rhapsa scotosialis. For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324682177

A photo of a big furry green moth. It's mottled pattern would blend in well with moss. Not so much on a white wall.

This is the NZ Green Carpet Owlet, Ichneutica plena

For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798682 — A photo of a big furry green moth. It's mottled pattern would blend in well with moss. Not so much on a white wall. This is the NZ Green Carpet Owlet, Ichneutica plena For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798682

Jon Sullivan

@joncounts@mastodon.nz · last week

More moths? Yes, more moths!

The first moth is Chloroclystis inductata and it's an unusual colour morph of it. For all the variation in this one species from our garden so far, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations?place_id=150600&preferred_place_id=6803&taxon_id=407383&user_id=jon_sullivan&verifiable=any

The names of the others are in the alt-text.

#nz #mothodon #lepidoptera #Christchurch #insects #entomology

A photo of a large triangular moth with a complicated pattern of dark and pale browns.

This is the NZ Barred Pink Carpet moth, Xanthorhoe semifissata

For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845460 — A photo of a large triangular moth with a complicated pattern of dark and pale browns. This is the NZ Barred Pink Carpet moth, Xanthorhoe semifissata For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845460

A photo of a triangular moth with a long snout. It's wings are an elegant pattern of swirling creams and browns.

For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845508 — A photo of a triangular moth with a long snout. It's wings are an elegant pattern of swirling creams and browns. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845508

A photo of a pinkish brown moth with a backward curved abdomen and splayed out wings. It's an odd pose for a moth.

This is the Australian Wattle Gall Moth, Gauna aegusalis.

For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798785 — A photo of a pinkish brown moth with a backward curved abdomen and splayed out wings. It's an odd pose for a moth. This is the Australian Wattle Gall Moth, Gauna aegusalis. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798785

A photo of a pale green moth with blotch brown markings. This species, Chloroclystis inductata, is unusually variable in its colour markings.

For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845524 — A photo of a pale green moth with blotch brown markings. This species, Chloroclystis inductata, is unusually variable in its colour markings. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845524

Jon Sullivan

@joncounts@mastodon.nz · last week

Moths? You want moths? I've got moths!

This week I finished uploading to #iNaturalist my four nights of moth lighting at our house, which I do once a season. I got 65 moth species this Spring, including four new species for our garden.

Here are some of the highlights. I like how much diversity of forms and colours and textures are amongst moths. It's a shame that they're so underappreciated compared to their showy daytime relatives. NZ has some great moths.

(The moth names are in the alt-text.)

https://inaturalist.nz/observations?project_id=great-southern-bioblitz-2025-canterbury-waitaha&taxon_id=47157&user_id=jon_sullivan&verifiable=any

#mothodon #nz #Christchurch #insects #nature #UrbanEcology

A photo of a triangular shaped blotch pink moth (above) and a white moth with black zig-zag shapes (below).

The top moth is the NZ endemic Common Forest Looper moth, Pseudocoremia suavis.

The lichen moth below it is the NZ endemic Izatha katadiktya.

For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611809 — A photo of a triangular shaped blotch pink moth (above) and a white moth with black zig-zag shapes (below). The top moth is the NZ endemic Common Forest Looper moth, Pseudocoremia suavis. The lichen moth below it is the NZ endemic Izatha katadiktya. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611809

A photo of an elegant green moth with zig-zag patterns of paler green and white.

This is the Dotted Green Carpet moth, Asaphodes beata, a NZ endemic.

For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611981 — A photo of an elegant green moth with zig-zag patterns of paler green and white. This is the Dotted Green Carpet moth, Asaphodes beata, a NZ endemic. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611981

A photo of a large tan brown moth with geometric triangular wing shape.

This is the NZ endemic Tarata Looper moth, Xyridacma ustaria

For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611949 — A photo of a large tan brown moth with geometric triangular wing shape. This is the NZ endemic Tarata Looper moth, Xyridacma ustaria For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611949

A photo of a pale green and black speckled moth.

This is the NZ endemic moth Izatha huttonii.

For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324682172 — A photo of a pale green and black speckled moth. This is the NZ endemic moth Izatha huttonii. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324682172

Jon Sullivan

@joncounts@mastodon.nz · 4 months ago

I like this article in Nature Canada celebrating Canada’s (and North America’s) largest moth, the Cecropia moth. It is an excellent moth.

“Adult Cecropia moths last about two weeks. They can’t eat during this stage, since they have no digestive system or moveable mouth parts. About the only thing they can do is mate! An adult Cecropia moth is basically a work of art designed to create more works of art.”

https://naturecanada.ca/news/blog/the-cecropia-moth-art-on-the-wing/

#mothodon #Lepidoptera #NatureCanada #Canada #nature