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  • Roger Grund

South Australian
Butterflies & Moths

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  • Sun-moths
    • South Australian Moths
    • About SA Sun-moths
    • Different Species
      • Nullarbor Sun Moth
      • Small Orange Spotted Sun Moth
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      • Reddish-orange Sun Moth
      • Larissa's Sun Moth
      • Orange Sun Moth
      • Orange Spotted Sun Moth
      • Golden Sun Moth
      • Pale Sun Moth
      • Cryptic Sun Moth

Gallery

SA Sun-moths Larissa's Sun-moth Gallery

Adults

larissa_m_UPS_2697.jpg (261 KB)

Male upperside

larissa_f_UNS_2534.jpg (208 KB)

Female underside

larissa_feeding_Homoranthus_wilhelmii_HPIM9399.jpg (143 KB)
larissa_feeding_on_Homoranthus_wilhelmii_HPIM9415.jpg (224 KB)

Old and worn S. larissa feeding in the morning
at white flowers of Homoranthus wilhelmii.

larissa_lekking_HPIM9401.jpg (214 KB)
larissa_lekking_HPIM9403.jpg (197 KB)

Worn male S. larissa perched on dead wood in
a lek area.

Habitat

larissa_habitat_EP_HPIM9417.jpg (330 KB)

Typical mallee habitat of S. larissa on Eyre Peninsula
The herby plants are the hostplants.

larissa_habitat_lek.jpg (273 KB)

Mallee habitat of S. larissa, partially cleared by track access, which provides lekking sites for the sun-moths where hundreds can be seen when in full flight.

Hostplant

larissa_host_Lep_racemosus_HPIM9389.jpg (272 KB)

Dryland Schoenus racemosus found on Eyre Peninsula, a possible hostplant for S. larissa.

Life History

larissa_egg_2399.jpg (93.0 KB)
larissa_egg_end_2083.jpg (40.9 KB)

Egg of Synemon larissa 2.9 mm long, having nine longitudinal ridges

larissa_egg_shells_emerged_larvae_EP.jpg (146 KB)

First instar larvae (3-4.5 mm) just emerged from egg

larissa_eclosed_egg.jpg (134 KB)

Eclosed egg shells (2.5 mm long with 8-11 long ridges),
after larvae emergence

larissa_male_genitalia.jpg (52.3 KB)

S. larissa male genitalia side view

All photography by R. Grund unless stated otherwise.