Golden Sun Moth

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Golden Sun Moth - Glenn Rudolph/DEPI | Golden Sun Moth - Glenn Rudolph/DEPI | Golden Sun Moth - Glenn Rudolph/DEPI

Synemon plana

Medium sized, day-flying moth with a wing span up to 34 cm. Females have a slightly smaller wingspan of 31 cm and a long tapering body. The upperside of the forewings of females is grey patterned; their hindwings are bright orange with black spots along the edges. The male's upperside forewings are grey and and hindwings are bronze-brown. Both have clubbed antennae.

Details
Type
Invertebrate
Group
Animals
Insect - Moth
Biology

Active only during the hottest part of hot, sunny, and relatively still days. The adult moths live for 1-4 days. Larvae spend 2 or more years underground. Adult moths emerge from underground between November-December. Females lay 100 to 150 eggs; they rarely fly and mostly walk. Males can make long flights but do not travel more than 100 m away from suitable habitat patches. This means it is difficult for them to colonise new areas at a distance.
Distinctive Markings

Day flying moth. Clubbed antennae. The female's upper hindwing is bright orange with black spots along the edges; the male's is bronze-brown.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Castniidae
Genus
Synemon
Species
plana
This moth was widespread in south-eastern Australia at the time of European settlement. Now found only in a few small sites in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. Most of these sites are railway or roadside reserves or private land.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Threats to the survival of this critically endangered moth are loss of its grassland habitat through clearing, degradation and fragmentation. Pesticide and fertiliser use as well as weeds can also affect its survival.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Herbivore. Larvae feed on the roots of native grasses.
Habitat

Native grasslands and grassy woodlands, especially those with wallaby grasses (Rytidosperma spp.), but also grasslands with native red-leg grass (Bothriochloa macra), spear-grasses (Austrostipa spp.), weeping grass (Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides) or kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra). They prefer grasslands with bare ground between tussocks, probably so males can more easily find females.
Native Status
Native to Australia