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Reddish wave - male

Scopula rubraria

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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-38.5842, 145.511

Field Notes

Description:

This geometrid moth was mostly brown with thin grey wavy patterns on the both wings and a broader grey pattern along the outer margin that forms a "y" shape at the costa. Visible here are two small black spots on the fore wings. Each hind wing also has a similar spot but not seen here.
The hind wings appeared to have a pale tinge of pink and a peppering of (dark) spots closer to the base.
Antennae - feathery suggesting that this is a male

Spotting of a darker version in March 2013
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/19499070

Habitat:

grasslands

Notes:

This is the paler version of a male (similar to the one on Brisbaneinsects - web link).
I have called it "reddish wave" for consistency with 2 other spottings on PN
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/18456036
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/17614296

This is a geometrid from subfamily Sterrhinae

Reference Links:

Scopula rubraria

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
Leuba Ridgway
Mrtin, thanks for looking a this. I am still a little confused. These 2 links are of S.optivata and have little similarity to my spotting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhobern/3009110818/ http://www.pbase.com/image/130942566 These links are of S.rubraria http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/ster/rubrar.html http://www.bubuleps.com/Scopularubraria.php http://evc23bohosouth.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/mothing-early-january-2012/ and they look more like mine. The Brisbaneinsects one appears to have referred to P.Marriot's book - so what do you think ???
MartinL
I think this is scopula optivata, based on the row of dots along the outer wings and the central dots too. I base my opinion on Peter Marriot which I cannot link for you. http://www.andrewisles.com/all-stock/publication/moths-of-victoria-part-three-waves-and-carpets-and-allies-geometroidea-c- http://fr.academic.ru/dic.nsf/frwiki/1520268 This link I disagree with. http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_loopers/CreamWaveMoth.htm

Spotted for Missions

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Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Moths of the World

Tags

Photographed
PublishedFebruary 27, 2013

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