| Pollanisus viridipulverulenta | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Euarthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Zygaenidae |
| Genus: | Pollanisus |
| Species: | P. viridipulverulenta |
| Binomial name | |
| Pollanisus viridipulverulenta (Guérin-Méneville, 1839) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pollanisus viridipulverulenta, the satin-green forester, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae. It is found in the eastern part of Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania). [1]
Moths comprise a group of insects related to butterflies, belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Most lepidopterans are moths, and there are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are also crepuscular and diurnal species.
The Zygaenidae moths are a family of Lepidoptera. The majority of zygaenids are tropical, but they are nevertheless quite well represented in temperate regions. Some of the 1000 or so species are commonly known as burnet or forester moths, often qualified by the number of spots, although other families also have 'foresters'. They are also sometimes called smoky moths.
Queensland is the second-largest and third-most populous state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Situated in the north-east of the country, it is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. To its north is the Torres Strait, with Papua New Guinea located less than 200 km across it from the mainland. The state is the world's sixth-largest sub-national entity, with an area of 1,852,642 square kilometres (715,309 sq mi).
The length of the forewings is 11–13 mm for males and 8–9 mm for females. The wingspan is about 30 mm. Adults are metallic blue green. Adults are on wing from August and early September (in Queensland and South Australia) to January (in Tasmania).
The wingspan of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777-200 has a wingspan of 60.93 metres, and a wandering albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of 3.63 metres, the official record for a living bird. The term wingspan, more technically extent, is also used for other winged animals such as pterosaurs, bats, insects, etc., and other fixed-wing aircraft such as ornithopters. In humans, the term wingspan also refers to the arm span, which is distance between the length from one end of an individual's arms to the other when raised parallel to the ground at shoulder height at a 90º angle. Former professional basketball player Manute Bol stands at 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) and owns one of the largest wingspans at 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m).
The larvae feed on various Hibbertia species, including Hibbertia obtusifolia , Hibbertia stricta and Hibbertia sericea . [1] It pupates in a cocoon amongst the foliage or in the ground litter at the foot of the host plant.
Hibbertia, or Guinea flower, is a genus of trees, shrubs, trailing shrubs and climbers of the family Dilleniaceae. The five-petalled flowers of all species are varying shades of yellow, with the exception of H. stellaris, H. miniata and H. selkii, a recently named (1980s) species from the Stirling Ranges, which all have orange flowers. Around 150 species occur in Australia of which two are also found in New Guinea. Additionally, 24 species occur in New Caledonia, one of which is also found in Fiji, and one other species is endemic to Madagascar. The genus is currently being revised by Helmut Toelken of the South Australian Herbarium.
Hibbertia obtusifolia, commonly known as hoary Guinea-flower, is a small shrub species that is native to south-eastern Australia. It grows to 60 cm high and has yellow flowers that appear in spring and summer.
Hibbertia sericea, or silky Guinea-flower, is a species of small perennial shrub, in the family Dilleniaceae, that is endemic to Australia. It has small yellow five-petalled flowers 2 centimetres (0.8 in) to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) across.
Adult moths are day flying, and can be found feeding during the hottest hours of the day. [1] Mating takes place in the afternoon and lasts until the following morning, and following day the female lays eggs on the host plant. [1]
