The Pandani Moth

We better start by introducing you two, otherwise you might feel a bit in the dark (that is the first of what will be quite a few awful moth-based puns, read on at your own risk).

The pandani moth is the only member of the Proditrix genus known outside of Aotearoa/New Zealand, and has a distinctive ecology. It is the largest species in the Glyphipterigidae family, with the wingspan of adults recorded up to 55 mm. The larvae of the pandani moth (and most likely the adults too) feed on the giant Pandani (Richea pandanifolia), and seemingly as a result of the dependency on this host plant, the pandani moth has lost the ability of flight, despite having remarkably large (and purple!) wings. Instead the adults have large back legs that they use to 'hop' between the internal fronds of the Pandani.

They're a truly incredible species, one of a number of fauna from Lutruwita that are relics of the super continent of Gondwana. If you've ever spent time at Lake Dobson, or Wulinantikala/Cradle Mountain I would hazard a guess that you've walked past one or two. But don't be pandani-cked like their host plants they come across as being the quiet sentinels of the alpine, and being in their presence is quite electric almost ancestral.

A real post-moth-ern crisis

These aren't a listed species, they exist entirely on reserved land - what's the deal? I first heard about pandani moth as a Discovery Ranger at Mt Field, I was leading a short walk around Lake Dobson and had been reading about these somewhat mythical creatures that had been seen in the Pandani grove in 2002 (and then basically never again). Wandering through the grove I was gazing into the canopies of the Pandani and seeing masses of chew marks, and I was so thrilled knowing that these creatures were still persisting here.

Fast forward to now, it has come to light that those chew marks were actually from the sympatric Gallaba kirkpatrickii rather than our mate, and the chew marks of the pandani moth are a bit more cryptic.

A: Pandani Moth chew marks B: Gallaba kirkpatrickii chew marks

Since then, I haven't been able to shake this moth from my mind, I would visit Pandani Groves around the state and think about these completely otherworldly moths that jump around, and anyone I would speak to about them was equally in awe, rightly so!

I decided to rope a bunch of my mates into joining me for a week at the Government Huts at Mt Field to finally get a chance to meet one of these moths. I'm happy to report that we're able to meet, not one but three adults. That trip turned into much more than what any of us expected I think. Most of us are ecologists, although we were joined by an equally extensive crew of artists, partners etc, and over the course of the week it was clear people were reconnecting with their own childhood whimsy and joy, the reason we all became scientists in the first place. During the days we played board games, swapped stories about our travels, books we'd read, took little wanders in the snow, cooked meals for each other. And at night we were at the beckon call of the moth, staying as long as our fingers and toes could handle the sub zero temps.

At the end of the trip we all agreed we had found more than the pandani moth, but we had found parts of ourselves that had long laid dormant. And that this kind of gentle easy science was something we wanted to share with as many as possible, while contributing positively to understanding one of least understood moths in Lutruwita.

We're asking people to keep your eyes on Pandanis when you are out and about, and look for the chew marks of both species, and upload them to our iNaturalist project (will automatically happen if you upload a pic of a Pandani, or either species of moth).

We have some epic upcoming trips during the adults flight time (October - Jan). So please join our group if you have a spark to be re-lit, a passion for the unknown and a lust for little moths who hop!

If you are keen to get involved or stay in touch, reach our to us at pandanimoth@gmail.com or @PandaniMoth on Instagram, and watch this space for a paper we have in review about our recent rediscovery of all of our new favourite moth.

Yours, in moth-ivation

Dr Jarrah Dale on behalf of the Friends of the Pandani Moth

Wildcare Cradle Mountain Volunteers

Winterbrook and Cradle dual working bees October 2024