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.
References
NEEDS EDITING
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:
Moths of Australia (1990) I.F.B.Common
A Guide To Australian Moths (2007) Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards
Monographs of Australian Lepidoptera #12 – Spendid Ghost Moths and Their Allies (2018) Thomas J. Simonsen
Caterpillars, Moths and Their Plants of Southern Australia (2019) Peter McQuillan
Moths of Victoria Parts 1-9 (2008 – 2020) Entomological Society of Victoria
Monographs of Australian Lepidoptera #13 – Hawkmoths of Australia (2020) Maxwell S. Moulds, James P. Tuttle and David L. Lane
Moths In The A.C.T. (2022) Glenn Cocking, Suzi Bond, Ted Edwards
Australian Moths (2026) Edited by Roger L. Kitching
Earlier Books
Moths of Australia (1974) Bernard D’Abrera
Flying Colours (1992) Pat & Mike Coupar
Tropical Queensland Wildlife Buck Richardson