Request for specimens

Hey folks,

I am working on a project to collect and rear these small “log cabin” style case moths, particularly the spiral ones. I am looking for help from the fabulous amateur entomology community with finding and collecting specimens.

There are two main goals of this project. The first is to collect and rear as many of these as I can in order to observe their lifecycle, behaviour, and to identify the species based on the adult male moth. While a number of these cases have been observed in Australia on iNaturalist, the species that creates them is currently unknown. It would be awesome if we could finally put a name to these fabulous little architects! The second part of the project is to provide these specimens and information about them for an upcoming TV documentary series.

You can help by doing the following if you come across these case moths:

• Uploading photos of your observations to iNaturalist and including them in the “Log Cabin Case Moths of Australia” project. Where possible, please include details about where they were found, e.g. type of plant, on a fence, etc..
• Collecting any live specimens (provided they are not in a protected area like a National or State Park) and posting them to me (postage costs will be reimbursed and I can provide instructions on how to package them safely)

Any assistance with this project is greatly appreciated.

For more information, contact me at:
Email: casemothcapers@gmail.com

iNaturalist: @casemothcapers
Facebook: Leonie Kirchmajer

Posted on July 12, 2024 11:23 PM by casemothcapers