White Banded Noctuid Moth II - Donuca orbigera

Family Noctuidae

This page contains pictures and information about White Banded Noctuid Moths that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

Wingspan 50mm

 

The moths have the eye-spots and teeth pattern on the upper side of their wings, resemble a big mouth predator. Their abdomen is bright orange colour and the bottom side of their wings are brownish-yellow. In the air, they are the bright orange-yellow flying insects. If you spot them on their flight and look for a bright-orange insect on where they land, you will never find them.

  

 

 

This species of White Banded Noctuid Moth is common in the Alexandra Hill Bushland and Karawatha Forest in summer. In day time they hide among grasses or on tree trunk near the ground. When disturbed, they quickly fly away to another spot few meters away.  

 

 

 

When we were following a White Banded Noctuid Moths to take the above pictures, we saw a Magpie (a common Australian bird) also spotted the moth and was chasing it before us. The Magpie stopped and searched on where the moth just landed. We thought that it would be the end of the moth. But, to our surprise, the Magpie suddenly retreated and flied up to a tree and called loudly. We believed the bird was shocked by the face pattern.

 

 

 

There is no information about the caterpillar of this moth.  

 

[ Up ] [ Achaea Moth ] [ White Banded Noctuid 1 ] [ White Banded Noctuid 2 ] [ Erebus Moth ] [ Tricolour Noctuid Moth ] [ Mocis disseverans ? ]

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Last updated: April 22, 2005.