Magpie Moth - Nyctemera secundiana
Family Arctiidae
This page contains pictures and information about Magpie Moths that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 25mm
- Magpie Moths are sometimes seen in garden and roadside during daytime and also at night. Their forewings are dark brown with white patterned band across. Their abdomens have black and yellow rings, the typical Tiger Moths warning colour pattern. This moth is common in Brisbane.
- Most moths in subfamily Arctiinae have the proboscis greatly reduced and incapable of feeding. But the proboscis is well developed in this species. The photos above shows the moth is feeding on flower.
- Male and female are look similar except their antenna. Their caterpillars are hairy with orange bands. They feed on a garden weed called Thickhead Cassocephalum crepidiodes.
- Magpie Moths are active during the day time although we sometimes find this moth attacked by window light. The above second picture was taken outside our kitchen in a winter night.
- The moth in the first photo with right wing a bit defected, however, it flied away quickly without any problem.
- Caterpillar fully grown 30mm
- Their Caterpillars have medium long hairs, with orange and dark bands along the body. There are a pair of horn-shaped black hairs on the head. They pupate under leaf of hostplant.
- On Apr 2011 we found this small group of Magpie Moth caterpillars feeding on their host plant Fireweed (Crassocephalum crepidioides). There were more than five fully grown caterpillars on a small plant. Most leaves of the plant were eaten and some caterpillars started feeding on the stems.
Fireweed
- Fireweed is also known as Thickhead. They are used as medical herb, however, the plant contains alkaloid toxins. It is believed that this plant is native of tropical Africa.
- Crassocephalum crepidioides, Asteraceae
- Reference:
- 1. Nyctemera secundiana - Australian Caterpillars by Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2011.
- 2. A Guide to Australian Moths - Paul Zborowski, Ted Edwards, CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2007, p183.
- 3. Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S.Moore - G. J. Harden, NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE, 2011.
- 4. A Guide to Australian Moths - Paul Zborowski, Ted Edwards, CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2007, p183.
