Mastodawn

Donald Hobern Feb 7, 2024

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/9934454

Good to see, but I'll just say ermine moths are amateurs at this. Try the Australian #WhistlingMoths (#Noctuidae, #Agaristinae).

And (#sigh) - to forestall the comments that always come when mentioning #Australian #wildlife. Our #biodiversity is not out to kill you. It's much less lethal to humans than honeybees, dogs or cows.

Common Whistling Moth (Hecatesia fenestrata)

Common Whistling Moth from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia on November 21, 2010 by Donald Hobern. <i>Hecatesia fenestrata</i> Boisduval, 1828, male, to MV light, Aranda, ACT, 9.00 p.m., 21 Novemb...

iNaturalist Australia

@dhobern oh wow, amazing. Much less subtle than the micros I examine.

Donald Hobern Feb 7, 2024

The males patrol what I assume are territories in the local woodland just before dusk, flying in circles or figure-eights perhaps three meters above the ground and making a sound not unlike a cicada.

Donald Hobern

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/20323379

And I'm intrigued to know whether these #RobberFlies (#Asilidae) have ribbed wings for the same reason.

Neoaratus hercules

Neoaratus hercules from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia on February 7, 2011 at 07:24 AM by Donald Hobern. <i>Neoaratus hercules</i> Wiedemann, 1828, male, Aranda, ACT, 6 February 2011 The strongly arc...

iNaturalist Australia

@dhobern now that is striking, I need to dig out some American chrysaugines that have massive cups in their wings which must have an auditory function.

@dhobern check out Tosale oviplagalis https://bugguide.net/node/view/2281175

Tosale oviplagalis? - Tosale oviplagalis

An online resource devoted to North American insects, spiders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information.

Donald Hobern Feb 7, 2024

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/602535-Sigilliclystis-insigillata

Some Australian #Epipaschiinae have bulges in the forewing costa, along with messy scale tufts in the same area, but I'd expect scales to dampen any potential auditory effects. I always took it that structures like these are for spreading pheromones.

See also the forewings of these pug moths (#Geometridae #Eupitheciini):

#entomology #SoMuchToLearn

Insigillated Pug (Sigilliclystis insigillata)

Sigillictystis insigillata is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Australia, including Tasmania. (Source: Wikipedia, '', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigillictystis_insigillata, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Photo: (c) Ian McMaster, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ian McMaster)

iNaturalist Australia