Lyssa macleayi

If this spectacular moth had a common name it would almost certainly be the Night Citrus Swallowtail. Previously known as Nyctalemon patroclus, it has since been re-affirmed as the formerly identified Lyssa macleayi.

The compound eyes of many insect species have an effective tapetum (reflective carpet) producing strong eye shine under illumination. Light that enters the eye is only partially absorbed and that which escapes is reflected off the tapetum so that it has another chance of being absorbed. A portion of this reflected light leaves the eye again as eye-shine.

The moth is large (full hand size) and stunning in its velvety-brown and white dorsal aspect, but I do like the photograph above and particularly the way that the eyes have captured the flash of the camera.

Interestingly, the moth positions itself at rest during the day upside-down; presumably to encourage any unfortunate avian predation to the less critical end of the moth, with the ‘swallowtails’ resembling antennae.