Blackburn's Ghost Moth - Aenetus blackburnii
From the family Hepialidae, Aenetus blackburnii is endemic to Australia where widespread, and occurring from the east coast to the west. Some males have very light colored wings, but I have not seen this coloration around Esperance. Locally they make their appearance at night after rain from February to April with March often the peak period. They are strongly attracted to house lights and many can be found clinging to windows and fly-screens.
A large moth of between 3-4 cm (around 11/2") in body length. The adults like other moths in the family Hepialidae have no mouth parts so cannot eat or drink, consequently their lives are short, mostly for a single day, but may survive an additional night and unless eaten by predators can die clasped to vegetation, to hang there before eventually falling to the ground to be consumed by various animals, particularly ants.
