Central Australia Moths

Central Australia InsectsCentral Australia Beetles Central Australia Moths Central Australia Native Bees

Belonging to the order Lepidoptera (class Insecta), Central Australia is home to a great variety of moths, from the plain coloured moths to some interesting coloured moths.

Australia is said to be home to more then 10,000 species of moths (and with many yet to be identified). Moths form a group of some 125 families worldwide, with 82 families of moths represented in Australia.

Whilst many species of moths are plain in comparison to butterflies, they are are still interesting in their own right. Two of the well known moths in Central Australia are the commonly named Processionary Caterpillars (also known as the Bag-shelter Moth, Ochrogaster lunifer) and the Yeperenye / Australian Striped Hawk Moth (Hyles livornicoides).

Many adult moth species display interesting colour patterns hidden under their wings (seen when they flutter and fly) and may even have a colourful abdomen. As well as the winged adult species, keep an eye out for the various instar stages including caterpillar and pupa/chrysalis.

Check out some of our documented native species below (taken from our section on Alice Springs Moths). Click the thumbnail image to go to the page.