This website is in the early stages of development.
Welcome to our Moths of Dorrigo and Beyond website. At 800 metres above sea level on the beautiful Dorrigo Plateau in northern New South Wales, we have been observing, photographing, and recording butterflies and moths for over twenty years.
We commenced this photographic record in 2004. However our website build only began in October 2024. In 2026 we have documented about 626 species of moths in 37 families on the property, including several rare and many unnamed species.
Most moths shown in our website have been photographed on our property. Also included on our site are a few moths photographed elsewhere, they are labelled to show where they were sighted and who photographed them.
Why we record
Butterflies and moths are sensitive indicators of environmental change. By documenting what lives here, we further contribute towards the broader scientific understanding of the biodiversity in the area and encourage conservation through appreciation.
Explore our collection
You are welcome to explore the diversity of our local moth species. Moths are displayed in Families which are recorded in alphabetical order for ease of use. The Australian distribution of each species according to iNaturalist is noted.
References
We use various sources for the information in this website and are grateful for the help they provide.
We often visit LepidopteraButterflyHouse to identify species, learn foodplants and life cycles. It is a wonderful site.
iNaturalist is a worldwide database for recording sightings, identification and distribution.
BOLD (Barcode of Life Data Systems Public Data for Australia)
ANIC (Australian National Insect Collection)
Social Media: Facebook groups: Australian Butterflies and Moths, Australasian Butterflies and Moths, Invertebrates Australia.
Books:
Common, I.F.B. (1990). Moths of Australia. Melbourne University Press
Zborowski, P. and Edwards, T. (2007). A Guide To Australian Moths. CSIRO Publishing
Simonsen, T. J. (2018). Monographs of Australian Lepidoptera #12 – Splendid Ghost Moths and Their Allies (2018)
McQuillan, P, Forrest, J. Keane, D. & Grund, R. (2019). Caterpillars, Moths and Their Plants of Southern Australia. Butterfly Conservation South Australia Inc.
Marriott, P. et al (2008 – 2020). Moths of Victoria Parts 1-9. Entomological Society of Victoria
Moulds, M.S., Tuttle, J.P. and Lane, D.L. (2020). Monographs of Australian Lepidoptera #13 – Hawkmoths of Australia – Identity, Biology and Distribution. CSIRO Publishing
Cocking, G., Bond, S., Edwards, T. (2022). Moths In The A.C.T. Glenn Cocking
Edited by Roger L. Kitching (2026). Australian Moths – A Natural History. CABI
Earlier Books
D’Abrera, B. (1974). Moths of Australia. Lansdowne Press
Coupar, P. & M. (1992). Flying Colours. New South Wales University Press
Richardson, B. Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn. LeapFrogOz Kuranda Kreations