The Golden Sun Moth: Synemon plana

The threatened Australian endemic golden sun moth, Synemon plana , occurs on native grasslands on the south-east mainland. Many grassland habitats have been lost and the moth has become a significant flagship species for grassland conservation in the region. It is still unclear whether the moth is univoltine or has a longer larval development period of 2 or 3 years. The non-feeding adults are short-lived. The sexually dimorphic adults differ in activity: only males fly actively –‌ under particular weather conditions and for a few hours in the middle of the day –‌ and can be targeted in visual surveys for the moth. Females are relatively sedentary. At any site, the flight period extends over several months from spring to early summer, but the rapid turnover of individuals over this period ensures that repeated survey counts are needed to enumerate the seasonal cohort of the site population. Conservation interest flows from the losses of native grasslands and their associated biota. Development of conservation concern and awareness of the moth’s biology are discussed in this chapter.