Fauna Profile: Southern Pink Underwing Moth

The Southern Pink Underwing Moth is found from Nambour in south-eastern Queensland to Bellingen in northern NSW. In NSW it is known to occur in a small number of localities from the QLD border to Wardell, and there is a disjunct population in the Bellingen area.

The grey/brown forewings are approximately 6 centimetres long with white spots on the underside. When at rest the moth resembles a dead leaf. Young caterpillars are dull brown. However, as they mature they develop a dramatic 'head' display when alarmed: two large 'eye' spots and a double row of white 'teeth'. The pupal stage is a bronze-coloured 5 centimetres case consisting of silk and leaves surrounded by metallic brown bands.

The Southern Pink Underwing Moth is found in subtropical rainforest below about 600 metres elevation. Potential breeding habitat is restricted to areas where the caterpillar's food plant, a native rainforest vine, Carronia multisepalea, occurs in subtropical rainforest. Adult Southern Pink Underwing Moths require the low light conditions of the rainforest in order to breed. The caterpillars spend their lives on vines near the forest floor and are very sensitive to light. If the vines are disturbed the caterpillars quickly move back into heavy shade, usually on the underside of leaves.

The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) has recently conducted surveys in various locations in the Tweed Shire to build a clearer picture of the distribution of the Carronia multisepalea and to hence to help estimate more accurately the location and numbers of moth populations. Field surveys conducted by OEH officers found that the vine and the moth larvae are very common in rainforest in Numinbah Nature Reserve and on several private properties adjoining the reserve. The vine and Southern Pink Underwing Moth caterpillars have been found in several other locations within Tweed Shire.