A Tricky One: Moth vs Butterfly? (Article by Al Young and Lesley Beaton)

During the outing to Cunningham’s Gap on 04 March 2018 we saw a ‘butterfly’ flitting in the open area next to the rainforest at West Gap Creek picnic area. Al thought it was a White-banded Plane (Phaedyma shepherdi) but when it landed on a tree trunk Lesley said it was probably a day-flying moth because it perched with its head facing downwards which is typical of some day-flying moths. While it was perched Al took a photo (See below).

So after consulting ‘Dr Google’ we decided it was a Forest Day-moth (Cruria synopla). This species is black with white spots on the forewing and a pale-yellow bar across each hindwing, which certainly resembles a White-banded Plane (Phaedyma sheperdi) especially when in flight.

The Forest Day-moth closely resembles Donovan’s Day-moth (C. donovani) but the hindwing bar of the Forest Day-moth is yellower and less irregular (ragged). Also, the Forest Day-moth has a faint narrow pale line from the base to the middle of each forewing. Apparently, both of these species are widespread in eastern Queens-land.

So, what are the distinguishing features between a White-banded Plane butterfly and a Forest Day-moth? (See photos below).

1. While in flight the hind wing bar of the White-banded Plane is white whereas the bar is quite yellow in the Forest Day-moth. Probably the most reliable distinguishing trait.
2. The pattern of white spots in the forewings are somewhat different but only readily discernible when they are perched. 
3. The Forest Day-moth will often perch with its head downwards, whereas butterflies generally perch with the head facing upwards. 

Information on Day-moth (Cruria) species courtesy of Coff’s Harbour Butterfly House.

Forest Day-moth (Cruria synopla) – Cunningham’s Gap

Donovan’s Day-moth (Cruria donovani)^^ – in normal resting position with head upwards; image not rotated

Donovan’s Day-moth (Cruria donovani)^^ – image rotated 180 degrees

(Photos by Al Young)

^^ Previously wrongly labelled as White-banded Plane (Phaedyma shepherdi), Corrected in January, 2019 by the authors.

Outings Report - Cunningham's Gap, Sunday 4 March, 2018 (Report by Lesley Beaton)

Unfortunately, not too many members turned up for this outing. Rain was forecast but we didn’t get a drop, and by lunch we even got some pale sunlight. Once inside the rainforest light conditions were low so we didn’t see many birds but we certainly heard them even above the roar of the trucks climbing the highway. Because of the damp there were plenty of fungi to interest us, especially one little orange specimen with a native semi-slug chomping away. We stopped to admire the view of Lake Moogerah from the Fassifern Lookout before return-ing to the carpark.

At the picnic area only two other members joined us for morning tea. However, an SGAP group were there on a fern survey. While enjoying our refreshments we were diverted (?) by the Satin Bowerbirds and Bell Miners or Bellbirds. A little later we set out on the lower end of the Box Forest track only to be held up by the running West Gap Creek, and after some judicious additions to the stepping stones we crossed without incident.

The Box Forest Track is named after the Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus), which line West Gap Creek. At the western end, the track winds its way beside this creek through magnificent Eucalypts and Brush Box but eventually, as it climbs closer to The Gap, you are walking through rainforest thick with vines and epiphytes on species such as the Booyong or Blackjack (Argyrodendron actinophyllum). One of the most distinctive features of this tree is the large deep green leaves that radiate out from central stems - hence the name actin = ray, phylum = leaf. The trunks form the characteristic buttresses of a rainforest species. The track also passes by some of the largest Giant Stinging Trees (Dendrocnide excelsa) I’ve ever seen.

There was far more activity in, and near, the picnic area than at the top of the Gap and we had glimpses of Bassian Thrush, Brown Gerygone and Grey Shrike-thrush. At one point the track was littered with blue Quan-dong fruit and we hoped to see pigeons and fruit-doves but not this time. We also saw where wild pigs had been grubbing around in the soft earth. As in the rainforest fungi were everywhere, and we needed someone more knowledgeable in that subject to help identify them. Another unidentified species was a dead huntsman spider found floating in a quiet bend of the creek. Unfortunately, there was little left of its abdomen so it was difficult to identify though it had clear markings on its cephalothorax.

Lunch was back at the picnic ground where the Bellbirds and Bowerbirds joined us again. The weather was warm and humid so butterflies were flittering around everywhere. There was plenty of chat over what we had, and hadn’t seen before it was time to take a group photo then go our separate ways.

Cunningham’s Gap Rainforest Circuit - Birds: Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Eastern Yellow Robin. Butterflies: Wonder Brown female. Mammals: Red-necked Pademelon.

West Gap Creek Picnic Area/Box Forest Track - Birds: Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Black Kite, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Australian Raven, Eastern Yellow Robin, Bassian Thrush. Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Common Grass-yellow, Wonder Brown male, Yellow Admiral. Moth: Forest Day-moth (Cruria synopla).

A leather fungus growing on wood (Cymatoderma elegans)

Golden Curtain Crust fungus (Stereum ostrea)

Turkey Tail fungus (Trametes versicolor)

(Above photos by Al Young)

Field Nats at Cunningham’s Gap  (Photo by Francis Mangubhai)

Speaker Report - Robert Whyte on Spider Mania

(Report by Glenda Walter)

Robert Whyte was a relaxed, entertaining and informative speaker on the subject of his favourite creatures, spiders. Ten years ago, he was studying habitat regeneration, and decided to use spiders as a measure of success. His first small study showed that five times the number of spiders (abundance) and many times the number of species, genera and families (diversity) inhabited original remnant vegetation compared to that in a degraded area. He then conducted a second study, using 400 square metre sites of:

a) a suburban garden with native creek-side plantings

b) an area which had undergone five or six years of regenerative work and

c) preserved original vegetation.

This gave the same results, showing greater abundance and diversity in natural good-quality bushland. The garden had the fewest number of genera, species and spiders overall while there were more in the restored area, and most by far in the un-degraded site. Spiders are mid-level predators and rely on other invertebrates as prey. They flourish where there is plant and insect diversity. Therefore, high spider abundance and diversity are good indicators of habitat health.

By this time Rob was hooked and became interested in spiders for their own sakes. Having seen excellent publications with wonderful photographs on spiders in Korea and Japan, he and Greg Anderson decided that they would co-author a book on Australian spiders. Many years later, this book, “A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia”, was published by CSIRO in 2017 and has been widely acclaimed. Well over 1000 photographs, simple and interesting text, a comprehensive index and excellent layout make this book one of the best field guides I have seen.

Spider taxonomy has been somewhat neglected in the southern hemisphere until comparatively recently when resident Australian arachnologists have been examining live populations and using modern technology to sort and rename them. In the Hersiliidae family (Two-tailed Spiders) for example which 20 years ago contained five Australian members, about 50 are now recognised. Robert and his partner Anne showed us large and dramatic images to illustrate some spiders both large and small, and spoke about some spider myths and amazing facts.

• ·         White-tailed spiders, Lamponidae family, are not dangerously venomous and do not cause ulcerating wounds.
• ·         Wolf spiders, family Lycosidae, are excellent mothers, carrying their newly-hatched children on their backs for several weeks to protect them.
• ·         The most dangerous Australian spiders are the “Huntsman Spiders” (Sparassidae), not because they bite, but because accidents are caused when they startle people.
• ·         Deinopis subrufa, the net-casting spider seen around Toowoomba and elsewhere, has eyes which are 2000 times as sensitive as those of humans. The light sensitive membrane inside their eyes is dissolved at around daylight, and renewed at dark, so that their eyes are not damaged by bright sunlight and the spider is able to hunt its prey in the dark.
• ·         Spiders can’t hold their breath, and can’t “bark” or “call” as they have no vocal cords, but some species produce sound by stridulation, scraping parts of their bodies together as crickets do.
• ·         Some “bird-dropping” spiders not only look like bird poo, but also smell like it!
• ·        Various ant-mimicking spiders in the Salticidae family look similar to ants, and produce pheromones which convince ants that they are family members, allowing the spiders to live with them and feed on their larvae.
• ·         Habronestes bradleyi, a member of the ant-eating Zodariidae family, has smell receptors in its “armpits”, allowing it to sense wounded or straggler ants.

·         Robert showed several images of tiny but beautiful male peacock spiders in the Salticidae family (Jumping Spiders) which dance to display to possible mates, spreading coloured body flaps and fringes and raising their third pairs of legs. Each species has a different colour pattern and display.

Spiders are millions of years older than insects and now predate them massively, globally consuming as much food daily as humans. Because many are very small, they are often overlooked. Instead of the four thousand plus species now known, scientists expect that in reality there are probably closer to 20,000 species. So, keep looking, Field Nats, it is likely that you may find undescribed species in your own backyards! A big thank-you to Robert Whyte and Anne for their enthralling presentation.

Robert Whyte, co-author of A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia, CSIRO Publishing 2017

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Whyte