I'm back in Sydney! I have lots of photos from the top end that I'll probably throw up from time to time, though I'm rather busy for the moment with uni work.
Almost immediately after getting back I went for a trip up to the mid-north coast. On the way, picnicing at Karuah, I spotted this lovely moth.
A quick look on Don Herbison-Evans' site revealed what it was - Agarista agricola, 'Joseph's coat moth' (Noctuidae).
This one is a male - and it was very flighty though always returned to this creeper (I assume a food plant). It finally stayed put and I snuck up with guerilla stealth. A fraction of a second after I took this shot it was suddenly off again - this time because a female had turned up and he was in pursuit!
The pair fluttered around for a while though the female seemed to show no interest in her suitor. She did however lead me to another food plant in the area.
This vine was almost entirely defoliated, and I spotted the caterpillar below as well as a few of the same species that had only hatched recently.
Not great photos, happy-snaps only, though I was very impressed with the colouration on both the adult and the larval forms.
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