Skip to main content

Lucid carpet moth

Chrysolarentia lucidulata

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-37.885, 145.354

Field Notes

Description:

A beautiful moth with a wingspan of about 25mm. The fore wings had wavy bands of shades of brown and white. Hind wings were an orangish-yellow colour with a dark trim.
Eyes were prominent and moth parts formed a short snout. a patch of dense setae stood out like a little crest on its head ( pic #4).
Pic #5 is that of another lucid moth I found later in the day - shows the undersides of both wings-unsure if both male and female have similar patterns.

Habitat:

These moths are found in southern Australia. Caterpillars feed probably feed on low growing herbaceous plants, like the buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata).

Notes:

This was a really exciting find. He(?) is still resting on the ceiling - not wanting to go out. The yellow hind wings are a stunning contrast.
The genus Chrysolarentia is also called Euphyia.
This geometrid moth belongs to the subfamily LARENTIINAE

http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/13979/#b

My thanks to martinl for correcting the ID.

Reference Links:

Chrysolarentia, Chrysolarentia lucidulata

Species ID Suggestions

Lucid carpet

Chrysolarentia lucidulata

Reference Link
MartinL
1

Comments (10)
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks Donna. I often say if only couturiers could look to nature for colours and design !!
DonnaBollenbach
Lovely moth. Amazing how Nature provides such rich color and patterns in one single creature.
Leuba Ridgway
Thank you Patty and Maria. Yes, this one was a real beauty..
patty
Lovely moth Leuba! =)
Leuba Ridgway
That book sounds like a handy one to have or, perhaps, might confuse someone like me... :) Thanks for the information Martin. I remember Mark's carpet moth - I am sure that the hind wings were a paler yellow - the colour was uniformly pale and despite the loss of scales, the whole pattern on the fore wings was not as well marked. Thanks for the ID again.
MartinL
Leuba my reference is a booklet in front of me by Peter Marriot 'Moths of Victoria Part 3 Waves and Carpets'. (Entomological Society of Victoria). It photographs 100 spp. in the genus Chrysolarentia alone. I think the lucid is brighter and a (similar) paler form gained species status and was so named. The books alone is sometimes still inconclusive.
Leuba Ridgway
Martin, thanks for clearing this up. I did think it was Lucid carpet and should have stuck to it. I will change the ID. Thanks for confirming.
MartinL
I think this is similar but not Similar ??? X+)
Mark Ridgway
Superb detail. These might lose the scales all to easily. This one looks perfect.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Moths of the World

Tags

Photographed
PublishedFebruary 23, 2013

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies