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.
- 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.
- Their Caterpillars have medium long hairs, with orange and dark bands along the body.
- Reference:
- 1. Nyctemera secundiana - Australian Caterpillars by Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2007.
- 2. A Guide to Australian Moths - Paul Zborowski, Ted Edwards, CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2007, p183.
