Wednesday 3 December 2008

Helena pays a visit

We pulled up to open the farmhouse gate and I noticed a very large moth fly through the headlights and appear to land in front of the car. I got out to check, and found it sitting on the bumper bar - a large moth called a Helena Gum-moth Ododiphthera helena, a male.

With the help of a torch I took its photo and left it where it was while we drove up the lane to the house. It then decided to move camp again, heading for the outside light of the house, so I took his photo again. I'm no expert at moth photography, but the results are good enough to identify it.

We found a caterpillar of the species in exactly the same spot in March this year. It's very similar to an Emperor Gum-moth Ododiphthera eucalypti, but doesn't have a white triangle on its shoulders. The caterpillars are quite different.


5 comments:

Denis Wilson said...

Great shot, especially no 2.
Cheers
Denis

Duncan said...

Why can't I get one of them!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow thats huge! Nice colour.

Gouldiae said...

G'day Boobook,
What a beautiful specimen. I think it must really have wanted its picture taken, to have stayed on board the car while you traveled down the lane.
Regards,
Gouldiae

Junior Lepid said...

What Duncan said!!! :-)

Great shots!