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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 9h

So true!

Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 9h

From @theconversation.com - What’s the difference between moths and butterflies?

#mothsmatter #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera
theconversation.com/whats-the-di...

What’s the difference between moths and butterflies? Look at their antennae

With the warmer weather come more of these fluttering insects – which can be easily confused with each other.

theconversation.com

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 1d

Like the Peppered #moth of the Industrial Revolution, #butterflies are adapting to #biodiversity loss. Research suggests butterflies are adaptating to increased monoculture planting by losing their colours. What an awful loss 🦋
#inverts #Lepidoptera #nature

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

As forests are cut down, butterflies are losing their colours

The insects’ brilliant hues evolved in lush ecosystems to help them survive. Now they are becoming more muted to adapt to degraded landscapes – and they are not the only things dulling down

www.theguardian.com

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 2d

A cold night (4°C) after a cool, grey day meant not many moths last night (just 6/6).

We did get another beautiful male Orgyia athlophora visiting though. The female of this species is flightless. A species only found in the southwest of WA
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #lepidoptera #inaturalist

Top view of a moth with forewings that have a complex pattern of dark brown, pale brown and white wavy lines. There are two pale patches on the bottom of each forewing. The antennae are large and feathery

Side view of a moth with forewings that have a complex pattern of dark brown, pale brown and white wavy lines. There are two pale patches on the bottom of each forewing. The antennae are large and feathery. The front legs are stretched out

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 2d

My 11yr old daughter rescued this lovely moth while in Albany, WA this week.

I think it’s a Euchaetis sp. but this one has darker and more striking markings than any Euchaetis we’ve seen before

#mothsmatter #teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #inaturalist

Top view of a moth with forewings that have pale creamy patches with brownish/pink markings

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 3d

Currently on the south coast of WA. Had two warm(ish) days so set up the moth trap. A few moths around, including an Orgyia athlophora (found only in southern parts of WA) and two Ardices glatignyi (black & white tiger moths)

#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #inaturalist

Orgyia athlophora - an adult male which has forewings with a pattern of dark and light brown, each forewing with two white spots

Ardices glatignyi - an attractive moth with white wings with extensive dark brown markings

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 5d

These moths really deserve a better common name than the Green Blotched moth… they are far more spectacular than their name suggests!!

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 5d

It’s an amazing beetle isn’t it! Only been observed twice as far as I can tell.

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 5d

It’s time to vote for the Australian Insect of the Year 2025 🪲🐞🪳🪰🦋

Cast your vote during October.

My vote definitely goes to the amazing Exastra albopilosa, a stunning longhorn beetle that was only described in 2024!
#ausinverts #wildoz #bugsky #inverts

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Vote for your favourite Australian Insect of the Year

Whether you love beetles or the giant mantis it's time to cast your vote for Australia's top insect.

www.abc.net.au

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WA Orchids @wa-orchids.bsky.social · 7d

Mountains of Koi Kyenunu-ruff (the Stirling Ranges), seen from around Bular Mial (Bluff Knoll) and beautifully framed by the local eucalyptus trees ⛰️🪾🌿
#woldoz #mountains #eucalyptus #photography

View between the branches of trees towards a range of mountains in the distance

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Great Southern Bioblitz @gsbioblitz.bsky.social · 11d

This Staurostichus hilaris hovering as it pollinated Pepper-and-Salt in Baldivis, WA
📸 : www.inaturalist.org/observations...
@daniel_heald (CC-BY-NC)

while fuzzy and cute, they’re also important #pollinators! Every #GSB2025 observation builds #biodiversity knowledge 🌍

#CitizenScience

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 12d

A recent visitor to the moth light in a coastal area 150km north of Perth.

This beautiful moth is one of the Curved Horn moths (Superfamily Gelechioidea), possibly Corynotricha trimeris or an undescribed species in that genus

#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #lepidoptera #Leptember #inaturalist

Side view of a small moth that has forewings of a yellow colour with obvious brown and purple scales making broad lines across the wings

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 14d

It’s hard work changing your outfit when you’re a #spider🕷️

Caught this Knobbled Orbweaver (Socca pustulosa) in the process of moulting today. It hunkered down and took a well deserved rest after this
#ausinverts #wildoz #arachnids

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 14d

Australia has rich insect #biodiversity, but we lack long-term datasets to track #invert populations and patterns.

We can help! Please consider adding your insect observations to platforms like @inaturalist.bsky.social

#citizenscience #ausinverts #wildoz

theconversation.com/spring-air-i...

Spring air is humming with insects. But we’re blind to what’s happening to them

The lack of data about insect life in Australia is already having consequences for plants, animals, and even people.

theconversation.com

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 14d

Amazing!

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Great Southern Reef Foundation @greatsouthernreef.bsky.social · 14d

Pygmy Blue Whale sighting at Bussleton!

Megan Wood who captured the encounter reflected on the experience “we are incredibly lucky to call this place home, and it is our responsibility to care for it and protect it"

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 15d

Chrysodeixis argentifera -Tobacco Looper

The weather is warming and there's definitely more moths around... including this first Tobacco Looper of the season.

#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember

Side view of a moth with generally brown forewings that have two distinct pearly white patches, one shaped like the letter S

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Biodiversity Council @biodivcouncil.bsky.social · 27d

Join leading experts in signing a petition calling for national legislation to reduce #LightPollution - a fast-growing threat to Australia’s biodiversity, climate action and human health. Petition closes 19 Sep
@euanritchie.bsky.social

biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/experts...

A bright city at night. A quote from Prof Euan Ritchie says: “Smart lighting regulation is a win-win. It helps protect wildlife, cuts energy use, improves human health, and restores the wonder of a starry night sky."

Sydney harbour without light pollution, showing the milky way galaxy. A quote from Prof Theresa Jones says: “Communities are passionate, and even lighting engineers are advocating for change. It’s time to put lights only where they are needed, into places where they are needed and for as long as they are needed.”

A pastel pink moth sitting on white cloth. A quote from Dr Jess Marsh says: “Light pollution is a trap for night flying insects like moths, disrupting movement patterns, life cycles and exposing them to predators. Light pollution regulation helps free them from this threat, ensuring these small but important creatures can continue their important functions in the ecosystem.”

There are two quotes. The first from Dr Kaori Yokochi says: “Microbats help maintain ecosystem health by keeping insect populations in check, but artificial light reduces bat diversity and activity. Light pollution regulation will help these tiny superheroes thrive in our cities.” The second quote from Prof Nicki Mitchell says: “A baby sea turtle entering the water for its first swim is awe-inspiring. It’s less good to find them wandering through coastal car parks. Keeping hatchlings in the dark is key to giving them the best start in life.”

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AW Landscape Board @awlandscapesa.bsky.social · 19d

At only about 2.5 cm long and weighing less than a gram, bogong moths can migrate 1,000 km to Australia’s alpine region each spring! Help scientists track the bogong moths and learn how to protect them via @ZoosVictoria’s Moth Tracker.

https://www.zoo.org.au/moth-tracker/

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Gracchus ☕️ 🏴‍☠️🦘🇺🇳🇺🇦 @zeitkrieg.bsky.social · 24d

Greenhood orchids in Lysterfield park, VIC - let your eyes adjust and after you see the first couple you will see hundreds along the trails and wonder how you missed them all these years.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Spring #InTheField #Nature #Pterostylis #Greenhoods

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 22d

We take the same approach. Managed to get the first living specimen photos of at least 2 moths and 1 fly in the process. All in the backyard!

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 22d

The organisation of all those chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis must be quite something!

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 23d

Just goes to show, even photographing the apparently plain grey moths can actually result in something interesting!

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 23d

Cadra perfasciata

This moth was seen in December in the Perth Hills but has only just been identified. This also seems to be the only picture of a living specimen of this native moth, which was first described in 1994.
#teammoth #mothsmatter #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember

Top view of a relatively small moth that has predominantly grey wings that are generally speckled and which have a distinct black line across them around one third of the way down.

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Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 23d

That’s an amazing number of observations! I can only hope to get to that many at some point

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