In terms of size, Goat or Wood Moths (Cossidae) are some of the largest Lepidoptera on earth. Giants in the genus Endoxyla are common through late spring and summer.
These moths are more than ten thousand times the weight of the tiny micro moths and are among the heaviest moths in the world weighing in at 30 grams or more. Although they are so very different in size, giant Goat Moths also have caterpillars that are reclusive – feeding inside the roots and trunks of trees. These caterpillars are the well-known Witchetty Grubs, which have been used as a protein-rich food for millennia.
One of the most common Endoxyla in the Bend of Islands is E. encalypti. The caterpillars of this species feed in the trunk of Acacia and bore down to the roots, where they pupate and then emerge from the soil between late October and March. Males are smaller and have antennae that are pectinate (feathery) while females have simple thread-like antennae and can be huge, with a wingspan of more than 20 cm.
While E. encalypti is well known to scientists, we also get Endoxyla species that are more enigmatic. For example, there are a group of species that have chalky grey forewings and brown hindwings. Some of these species have names but others do not. Having photos of these moths helps define their distributions and will be essential for us to better understand their diversity.
Doug Hilton & Frank Pierce
November 2024
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