Ruby Anthelid
S1, Male, dorsal
Ruby Anthelid
S3, Male, dorsal
| Ruby Anthelid S1, Male, dorsal | | Ruby Anthelid S3, Male, dorsal | | ||
 | Class: | Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) | |||
| Order: | Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera) | ||||
| Family: | Anthelid Moth (:Bombycoidea Anthelidae) | ||||
| Species: | Ruby Anthelid (Anthela rubeola) | ||||
| This Photo: | S2, Male, dorsal | ||||
Thank you Ethan Beaver for confirming the id of this species for us General Species Information: Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere Head & body ~20mm, wingspan ~60mm. While called "Ruby" these can be anything from pale brown through to ruby. Their legs & palps always seem to have ruby highlights, regardless of wing colour. While males & females have bipectinate antennae, the females have much smaller pectinations. As is typical, the female bodies are much larger (longer & wider) than the males. We never saw one until May this year and suddenly we've found around 20 males coming to night lights through June & July. | |||||
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