BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SA INC. NEWSLETTER No. 39: October 2010 SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S SUN-MOTHS (SYNEMON IN THIS ISSUE SPECIES, CASTNIIDAE). • South Australia’s Roger Grund Sun-Moths Synemon Eight (or possibly as many as ten) sun-moth species are presently species known from South Australia (S.A.). They are classified under the • 2009-2010 Chairmans genus Synemon and have clubbed antennae similar to butterflies. Report They are eye-catching day-flying moths that fly in full sun in warm • 2009-2010 Financial to hot weather during the heat of the day from about 10.00am to Statement, note. 3.00pm, (cloud cover may cause the moths to be inactive). Five of • Thanks the species are small (wing expanse 22-40mm about the size of a • Life Member bee), while the others are large (wing expanse 34-52mm about the • Nectar Plant list size of the Painted Lady butterfly)(1). They fly in the vicinity of their • Nectar Plants larval host-plants. The larvae are mini-bardi/witchetty grubs, living • Can you help? either below ground on the roots or within the base of the plants, and • email addresses please can take up to several years to complete their life stage depending • 2011 meetings on the environmental conditions at the time. Six of the S.A. species • News and Diary Dates utilise tussock grasses as host-plants, while the other three species • Outreach Program utilise dry-land sedge-like plants. Consequently the former species • Websites are in direct competition with farmers’ livestock and have suffered the most from habitat clearing and stock degradation due to over- grazing, and the use of poison sprays to control locusts, mosquitos and weeds. Four of the grass-dependant species are now threatened in South Australia, with a further two borderline. Some of the moths during their evolution have lost the use of their feeding proboscis and consequently only live a short period until their reserves of body fat have been used up, which may only be a few days. Their flight is swift when disturbed, near ground level and the small species are then quickly lost from sight, but at other times they are usually found resting either on the ground or on low plants and grasses, or are seen flying slowly; the males looking for females, or the females looking for host-plants to lay eggs on. When at rest, sun- moths can either take on a position typical of many moths with wings folded along their bodies in the shape of a tent (Fig. 1), or if on the ground, with wings flattened and partially open (Fig. 2). The females have a long extendible ovipositor (a tubular abdominal egg laying device) (e.g. Fig. 3) used to lay a large spindle shaped egg deep within the base of the host-plant. The forewings of the moths typically have a camouflage pattern of brown or grey-black, with streaks of white, while the hindwings have large display-patterns of either red, orange or yellow that are used as aposematic flash displays Figs 1-2: Synemon ‘flinders ranges’, wing expanse 38mm (bar is 10mm); to startle potential predators. The flight times and the length of the (1) male in ‘tent’ pose, (2) female with flight period of the moths are not well known in S.A. but it seems partially opened wings showing its Continued Page 3 flash colours. BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SA. INC. for membership enquiries and annual membership payments ($10): Treasurer: 5 Oakleigh Road, MARION. 5043 S.AUST. BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER Number 39. Oct, 2010. 2 2010 PRESIDENT’S REPORT The year was another with enthusiastic running by Jan Forrest and the committee and especially Mike Moore taking the financial reins in keeping us in the black and up to date. Special thanks to Jan for putting together those wonderful and informative newsletters, it’s a big job. Thanks also go to the SA Museum for their support. We have had 65 new mem- bers which include individuals and schools. My personal thanks go to the committee for all their support during the year, and other volunteers for all their assistance. Over the past year our activities have included: · Working on a new book to illustrate and identify moth caterpillars in the garden and natural bushland areas. As you know there are over 2000 moths and around 80 butterflies in SA. Moths are important in providing a food source for birds etc and keeping the natural world healthy. More to come on that in our newsletters. · This year saw the opening of the SA Biodiversity Gallery at the SA Museum to show the public the rich diver- sity of the natural world, including our butterflies. · Several expos were manned by the members, which saw many of our butterfly gardening books being sold. Thanks to all those involved. · Tracy Baron and Carolyn Herbert are producing a Butterfly Garden DVD, with a children’s drawing competi- tion for the front cover, and setting up a display at the Museum in September. Thanks for your time and effort. · Our newsletters number 38 with over 230 pages of facts and information about the world of butterflies in SA. The major newsletter articles included: o The genus Ogyris by Mike Moore (Photos by the late Lindsay Hunt) o Raising butterflies and moths at home by Mike Moore o Butterfly trail in the Lebombo mountains in S. Africa by Andy Young o Wanderer (Monarch) Butterflies ‘case for and against’ by Jan Forrest We regretted the loss of a great friend and entomologist Sam Aquilina, who was one of those who inspired us to start BCSA in early 1999. The following 12 months we will seek to: · Incorporate more joint meetings and talks with other groups like the Nature Conservation and Biology Societies of SA etc. · Take road shows to country SA to inform Land-care, schools and community groups about butterflies, moths and habitats. · Collect moth caterpillar photos and information from members and the public for a new publication. Collect and rear caterpillars. · Continue to feature interesting articles, expositions and promotion of butterflies. All contributions welcome! · Include a regular monthly program of speakers as well as our general meetings. Groups such as ours would not function without the support and grant funding from Government agencies and other organisations. Thanks to Jan for all her work in keeping BCSA going over the 10 years as our secretary. Thanks to the committee and members for their support and contributions to a successful year. David Keane Chairman Butterfly Conservation SA Inc. 7th September, 2010 2009-2010 AUDITED FINANCIAL MANY THANKS to the members who have REPORT helped out on the three recent promotion A note from the Secretary Jan Forrest displays. Richard Rowland, Gerry Butler, Roger Grund, Jan Forrest, Bill Rowland, Gill I can assure members that the 2009-2010 accounts Hollamby, Keith Joan Caldicott, Suzie Clarke have been audited and all found correct, however and Pam DiLorenzo. as Mike Moore the Treasurer is presently ‘out bush’ I was unable to obtain a copy for printing in this newsletter. WELCOME TO A copy of the final 2009 audited financial state- OUR FIRST LIFE ments will be published in the next newsletter. MEMBER - RICHARD ROWLAND BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER Number 39. Oct, 2010. 3 Continued from page 1. the proboscis (nectar) feeding species as a local but has not been recorded in S.A. since 1948. It is group can fly for long periods of a month or more, now regarded as critically endangered in S.A. (if while the non-feeding species have very short flight not already extinct). periods of 1-2 weeks and they usually have coincident emergences so that all the moths are It flies in open woodland-native grassland habi- available at once for mating. Flight periods of tat comprising a high proportion of wallaby grass individuals have been documented from 1-10 days. (Austrodanthonia), its larval host. The forewings are dull brown coloured, cryptically streaked with The sun-moths are similar to many butterflies as white (Fig. 3). The hindwings are also brown but regards conservation. Most require special habitat are marked with large, dull orange spots. In S.A. that has historically been subjected to large-scale both male and female moths have occurred, whereas clearance for urban and farming activity, leaving in north-west Victoria the same or similar moths are small fragmented patches of habitat remaining parthenogenic and only females occur! (a situation for the use of sun-moths. The fragmented habitat that also occurs in worker bees). The moth (includ- has then subsequently been subjected to a variety ing Victorian specimens) has mainly been recorded of degradational processes such as overgrazing, flying during February and early March. In the Two weed-infestations, fire-management and mosquito- Wells area it was most prolific during the first week locust eradication spraying programmes. Some of of March. the moths have developed defences from fires by having their larvae live underground, and these can BCSA would appreciate if keen members could survive fires provided they are not repetitive. Many check out native grassland (wallaby grass) areas in sun-moth populations (particularly the non-feeding the above localities for the moth during its known types) have very restricted dispersal ability and are flight period, or even in your own local areas, such therefore confined to their present habitat as the east side of the Mt Lofty Ranges to the Mur- fragments. If the habitat fragment is destroyed, ray River (east of the Barossa Valley and Adelaide), then so too is the sun-moth population. and even elsewhere such as along the Murray Bridge-Pinnaroo Roads.