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Carpet Moth

Larentiinae sp.

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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-37.8038, 145.243

Field Notes

Description:

With a wing span of about 30mm, this moth had grey and brown wavy patterns. The white patches near the apex of the fore wings were quite distinctive as were the scalloped pattern along the outer margins of the hind wings.

Habitat:

Spotted on a building wall under bright lights. State Forest nearby.
Native to Australia.

Notes:

This is a geometrid moth from subfamily Larentiinae. This looks very similar to Epyaxa sodaliata but there are differences in the patterns and colour.

Reference Links:

Larentiinae sp. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (6)
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks Mark. I think they look similar but I agree there are minor differences.
Mark Ridgway
Although very close indeed this isn't E sodaliata. Donald Hoburn has this one as Larentiinae sp. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dhobern/3060328429/
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks very much Martin, for the ID and information. Looks like I've been lucky enough to get a "fresh" specimen.
MartinL
Nice shot Leuba. Peter Marriot (Moths of Victoria) calls this the Sodaliata moth. The female assessment is based primarily on the white patches on the fore wing that the male doesn't have. He is slightly smaller and with thicker antennae.
Leuba Ridgway
Thanks Nuwan. I assumed it was a geometrid but want to look further. My other grey moth is perhaps also a geometrid. There are so many around, with subtle differences...having said that I will check other families as well. I noticed a few noctuids look a little like the geometrid "wave" moths (to my inexperienced eye, anyway !)
NuwanChathuranga
Geometridae, Larentiinae http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/lare/lare-moths.html

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Photographed
PublishedMarch 15, 2013

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