Helena Gum Moth, Opodiphthera helena
Male
Early February 2013
Sisters Beach
Photos KE
The moth was hanging upside down on the vegetation. Its wings were just showing the two dull dots, but when disturbed it revealed the two bright eyepatches by unfolding its wings slightly. When disturbed further it slowly flapped its wings to appear more threatening.
Eight year old child’s hand for scale.
Moments of the wing flap.
Hand Reared Female
Emerged Late December 2016, pupated about a year beforehand.
Photos KE
Hand raised individuals – wings unfurling
November 2007
Lenah Valley
Images by Robyn Gates, used with permission.
Wild males attracted to a female within the basket.
Images by Robyn Gates, used with permission.
January 2010
Lenah Valley
Release to the wild
Images by Robyn Gates, used with permission.
Late October 2023
Kelcey Tier, Devonport
Photos KE
Early instar larva
Late January 2005
Kingston
Photos KE
Late December 2020
Knocklofty Reserve, Hobart/nipaluna
Photos KE
Early instar larva
Mid January 2014
Rocky Cape National Park, Sisters Beach
Photos KE
Mid instar larva
Late December 2012
Peter Murrell Reserve, Blackmans Bay
Photos KE
Mid instar larva
Mid February 2014
Knocklofty Reserve, Hobart
Photos KE
Second individual.
Late January 2024
Ulverstone
Photos KE
Later instar larva
This caterpillar is covered with numerous small oval, white wasp eggs. The eggs would hatch into parasitic larvae.
Early March 2010
Port Sorell
Photos KE
Later instar larva
Mid March 2010
Knocklofty Reserve, nipaluna/West Hobart
Photos KE
While photographing the caterpillar a weevil decided to walk along the branch and onto the caterpillar. The caterpillar began to thrash to remove it.
Later instar larva
Late April 2014
Ridgeway
Photos KE
Very yellow individual
Mid March 2019
Ulverstone
Panorama as the caterpillar was much too large for the lens!
Photos KE
More usual green coloured individual on the same day.
Mid January 2023
Tullah
Photos KE
Caterpillar forming cocoon
Late March 2025
Images by Eddie Tucker used with permission.
Mature Cocoon
nipaluna/Hobart
Case Study – Caterpillar rearing
Mid February- 2026
Photos and videos KE
19/2/26
26/2/26
8/3/26
The caterpillar started securing a position to pupate
10/3/26
Fresh cocoon
2/5/26
Hardened cocoon. I decided to cut the cocoon in half to observe the pupa. The coccon felt like hard plastic to cut through. After photographing the pupa it was returned to its stickytaped cocoon!
2/5/26
Pupa.
This was extremely active and waved its abdominal segments as I was taking photos. Video to come…
