Tailed Emperor emerged

The first of the Tailed Emperor butterflies emerged from its chrysalis today. When I checked on them at 1130 in the morning, this one, the first to set, had begun to show the adult butterfly colour beneath the case. The 'fur' of the thorax and abdomen and the wings spots can be clearly seen. I had been checking them every day and this one had turned straw-yellow yesterday.

I went to set up the time-lapse camera, only to find that it had not been emptied and re-charged so I had to do all that. Meanwhile, by the time that was done, about one-o-clock, the butterfly had just fully emerged. So it had taken less than an hour and a half to emerge. I had thought I still had time to set up, oops. I will be ready for the next one.

About twenty minutes later the butterfly turned around and continued to stretch.

To think that this marvelous, delicate form of life had been squashed into that tight case for the past 19 days. And it had been in a much more simple form of a caterpillar before that.

What a chance to see immaculate insect wing-scales. Not a single one missing or torn.

I think this butterfly was a female as it had an almost-all-white body and its tail was broad-ended. Here she extends her proboscis for the first time, stretching it through the leaves.

Then, this is her retracting his proboscis drawing in a tiny drop of water from the leaf surface. Her very first drink.

An emperor's tail - absolutely perfect.

A few minutes later, she was warmed up and flew off over the garden.

Gone.

January Moths on Black Mountain


This is a post to continue my partial coverage of the moths surveyed at Black Mountain. It is only a sample of the moths attracted to the lights set last week by Glenn (see previous monthly posts for details and comparisons). The little beauty above, was the first one I saw this time. It is a Pink Arhodia Arhodia lasiocamparia.


In profile, its colouring fitted well, striking, against the black night behind.


Yet on a substrate of peeling bark, its colouring did not seem so bold and in daylight would be difficult to spot. The caterpillars feed on gum eucalyptus leaves, of which Black Mountain has 800 ha, so they must be well fed. Wingspan 6-7 cm.



This was my favourite of the evening as I am always fascinated by how well animals can conceal themselves by shape, colour and posture against their background habitat's colour and form. In this case, leaf and bark litter on the forest floor. This is Antictena punctunculus.


Even the frayed hind edges of its wings blend in with the broken edges of the fallen leaves.
Wingspan 4 cm.


Not all the moths were attracted to land on the white illuminated sheet, many landed on nearby trees, especially the smooth-barked gums, like this specimen of a Cleora sp. This is a species of looper, so named because the caterpillars loop their body into a high arch when crawling. Wingspan 5 cm.


Then there was this late contender for favouritism, an Epicoma sp., possibly the male of the species below, Epicoma contristis. 


This was the Epicoma contristis female, she is silver while the males are darker, hence the reason why I think the former sample might be a male of this species. The caterpillars of this species are of the classic dark grey, bristling, hairy type. Wingspan 3cm.


The Epicoma have fantastic head 'hair' it completely covers their face. I don't know the purpose for this hair, and everything in nature has a purpose - thermoregulation in the cool Canberra nights? It is just so illuminating to discover what lives in the woods and how variable moths are in colour and form.

Another wonderful night on the mountain.