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Helena Gum Moth - female
Opodiphthera helena
-37.893, 145.312
Field Notes
Description:
This beauty had a wing span of about 15 cms. The fore wings had down-curved apices with a pale patch and a dark tear-drop mark. In the middle of each fore wing was an eye spot with a dark ring around it and a whit espot in the middle. The pale sub marginal area had a dark inner border. Legs were covered with dense setae with dark bands around the tarsi. The Antennae were tucked under the wings, thick but not feathery suggesting that this was a female.
Habitat:
Spotted resting high up on the wall at the local CFA - next to the Dandenong Ranges National Park.<br>
These moths are seen in tall damp eucalyptus forests -eastern New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, south west Western Australia.
Notes:
The caterpillars feed on gum leaves.<br>
It is a pity i could not reach it to coax it open its wings -would have loved to have seen the hind wings.<br>
An exciting find ! <br>
A male was spotted a year later in the same place: <br>
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1024859131 <br>
Closely related to the Emperor Gum Moth (O. eucalypti) <br>
Family: Saturniidae
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