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  • Roger Grund

South Australian
Butterflies & Moths

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  • Sun-moths
    • South Australian Moths
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    • Different Species
      • Nullarbor Sun Moth
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Gallery

Catalog Ringed Xenica Gallery

Adults

acantha_ad_f.jpg (40.2 KB)
acantha_ad_f2.jpg (36.9 KB)

Females

Eggs

acantha_egg.jpg (13.6 KB)
acantha_egg2.jpg (12.6 KB)

The white egg is newly laid, which will become purple speckled if it is fertile.

acantha_egg_hatching.jpg (15.0 KB)

Egg about to hatch

acantha_1st_instar_new.jpg (18.0 KB)

Newly emerged larva after eating the empty egg shell (on left)

Larvae

acantha_1st_instar_early.jpg (22.7 KB)

Newly emerged from egg

acantha_1st_instar_late.jpg (14.2 KB)

Larva has eaten green grass

First instar larva

acantha_1st_instar_late2.jpg (16.7 KB)

Late first instar larva showing small knobs at the ends of the hairs

acantha_2nd_instar.jpg (17.9 KB)
acantha_2nd_instar2.jpg (10.7 KB)

Second instar larva

acantha_3nd_instar.jpg (10.0 KB)
acantha_3nd_instar2.jpg (7.80 KB)

Third instar larva

acantha_4th_instar.jpg (10.1 KB)
acantha_4th_instar2.jpg (9.32 KB)

Fourth instar larva

acantha_5th_instar_green.jpg (18.1 KB)
acantha_5th_instar_green2.jpg (15.6 KB)

Fifth instar larva,
green colour form

acantha_5th_instar_brown.jpg (15.1 KB)

Fifth instar larva, brown colour form

Larvae Heads

acantha_1stinstar_head.jpg (9.31 KB)

Larva head of first instar

acantha_2ndinstar_head.jpg (7.20 KB)

Larva head of second instar

acantha_3rdinstar_head.jpg (11.3 KB)

Larva head of third instar

acantha_4thinstar_head.jpg (9.34 KB)

Larva head of fourth instar

acantha_5th_instar_brown_head.jpg (14.2 KB)

Larva head of fifth instar, brown colour form

acantha_5th_instar_green_head.jpg (14.8 KB)

Larva head of fifth instar, green colour form

acantha_5th_instar_green_head2.jpg (14.1 KB)

Larva head of fifth instar, green colour form

Pupae

acantha_prepupa_green.jpg (13.2 KB)

Prepupa

acantha_pupa_green.jpg (10.6 KB)
acantha_pupa_green2.jpg (11.2 KB)
acantha_pupa_green3.jpg (11.8 KB)

Pupa, green colour form

acantha_pupa_brown.jpg (15.0 KB)
acantha_pupa_brown2.jpg (14.2 KB)

Green colour form pupa turning brown as the butterfly develops
within the pupal case.

Pupa on left is three days before butterfly emergence.

Pupa on right is about 12 hours before butterfly emergence.

All photography by R. Grund unless stated otherwise.