Getting to know butterflies and moths
A familiar sight in backyards, adult butterflies and moths have two eyes, six legs, a pair of antennae and two pairs of wings covered in tiny scales. The way light bounces off these tiny scales is what can give their wings such dazzling colours and patterns.
All butterflies and moths start as an egg, then hatch into a larva (caterpillar), and pupate before turning into an adult. Some adults eat liquids like nectar with their long straw-like mouth-piece called a proboscis, while some adult moths don’t eat at all! Caterpillars mostly chew on plants, and many are fussy eaters. The caterpillar of Australia’s rarest butterfly, the laced fritillary (Argynnis hyperbius) prefers eating only arrowhead violet (Viola betonicifolia).
Some butterflies have special relationships with ants, like the threatened eastern brown azure (Ogyris halmaturia). Its caterpillars develop underground for about 11 months in the nests of the brown bearded sugar ant (Camponotus terebrans).
Butterflies are often colourful and fly mostly in the day, while moths are mostly well camouflaged and active at night. Moths usually rest with their wings open, while butterflies often rest with their closed wings. The thin antennae of butterflies have a small knob at the end, while the antennae of male moths can be fluffy and feather-like.
Australia has around 400 butterflies species and is thought to be home to around 22,000 moth species. Only about half of these moths have been scientifically described and named.
Help us learn more about threatened butterflies and moths
If you’re in the southern half of Australia, your photos of the endangered Bogong Moth (Agrotis infusa) can help us learn more about their movements. This moth has profound cultural, ecological and economic importance – find out more at www.bogong.org.
If you’re in Victoria, keep an eye out for the threatened eltham copper butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus ssp. Lucida). If you’re in Darwin or Melville Island, keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular atlas moth, with a giant 17cm wingspan.
Butterfly and Moth Gallery
Four Spot Anthelid Moth
Tyta luctuosa
Four Spotted Cup Moth Caterpillar
Doratifera quadriguttata
Yellow Admiral Butterfly
Vanessa itea
Varied Sword Grass Brown Butterfly
Tisiphone abeona
Joseph's Coat Moth Caterpillar
Agarista agricola
Blue Triangle Butterfly
Graphium choredon
Join the Bug Hunt for butterflies and moths
By taking photos of butterflies and moths and adding them to iNaturalist, you can help grow our knowledge about where they live, what habitat they like, and what they feed on. You might even help discover a new species of moth, or prevent a potentially invasive species, like the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) becoming established and damaging Australia’s unique ecosystems.
In iNaturalist, go to projects, search for ‘Bug Hunt Australia’ and join.
Tips for spotting photographing butterflies and moths
Your best chance of spotting butterflies is on sunny, calm days in the warmer parts of the year. For moths, you’re best looking outside at night in warm weather.
When taking photos for iNaturalist, remember:
- Have your GPS location turned on.
- Take lots of photos! Start from a distance and zoom in, then slowly move closer. Avoid casting a shadow on them as this may cause them to move.
- If possible, take photos of the upper wings and underwing. A shot focusing on the antenna can also help. Avoid disturbing them though – just photograph them as you find them.
- Upload your shots photos directly through the iNaturalist app, or through your computer at www.inaturalist.org. The app AI may suggest a specific species, but if you’re not confident on the species identification (some species can look quite similar), just select the level of identification you are most comfortable with – it could be ‘Swallowtails’ or just ‘butterflies and moths’ or even just ínsect’ if you’re not sure. Experts in the iNaturalist community can then suggest a more specific identification for you.
- Adding a photo or some notes about the type of environment or the plants nearby can help build knowledge about what kind of habitat the butterfly/moth likes.
Backyard butterflies and moths
The common brown (Heteronympha merope), common grass-blue (Zizina otis) and Australian painted lady butterfly (Vanessa kershawi) are butterflies found in many Australian backyards.
Some beautiful moths common in backyards include southern moon moth (Dasypodia selenophora) and granny’s cloak moth (Speiredonia spectans). The joseph’s coat moth (Agarista agricola) breaks the rules by mostly flying during the day, and females have spectacular colouring. Greater wax moths (Galleria mellonella) caterpillars have the superpower of being able to eat and break down plastic!
To find out what butterflies and moths are being observed near you, go to www.inaturalist.org/observations and search for ‘butterflies and moths’ in your location.
If you’re in Victoria, keep an eye out for the threatened eltham copper butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus ssp. Lucida). If you’re in Darwin or Melville Island, keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular atlas moth, with a giant 17cm wingspan.