Forked Grass-moth
Male, dorsal, ~15mm
Forked Grass-moth
Male, posterior
| Forked Grass-moth Male, dorsal, ~15mm | | Forked Grass-moth Male, posterior | | ||
 | Class: | Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) | |||
| Order: | Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera) | ||||
| Family: | Geometer (:Geometridae Ennominae Nacophorini) | ||||
| Species: | Forked Grass-moth (Ciampa arietaria) | ||||
| This Photo: | Male, hind wings | ||||
| Other names: | Brown Pasture Looper, Forked Pasture-moth | ||||
General Species Information: Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere A common moth which has some unique characteristics. The larva curl up at the base of plants looking like new, unfurled leaves. The adults have a forked horn projection out the front of it's head. It's hairless and not part of the palps; a separate structure. Males have bipectinate (2 rowed) antennae, where as females have an unusual antennae structure. While it looks filiform, closer inspection reveals a form of short bipectination. We can't work out if they are flat scales or fine hair. Either way, they clearly differ from the males. We have photographed 17 specimens. 4 Larvae in July & Aug, 5 males in Apr & May and 7 females in Apr (one indeterminate gender in May). This indicates they "hibernate" as eggs over winter, spring & summer, hatching in early autumn and finishing their life cycle before winter sets in. | |||||
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