Rebecca Arnold
rebeccaarnold.bsky.social
Rebecca Arnold
@rebeccaarnold.bsky.social
Ecologist at Calperum Station | Restoring semi-arid landscapes and conserving habitat | Investigating Mallee tree phenology.
Adult moth to eggs laid on bare twigs, early instars, to voracious feeders at 5th instar. Will begin to pupate in soil soon. Damage to Euc.s across SA is widespread and non-specfic. Ecology and impacts are still being understood, in the hope of discovering mitigating strategies.
January 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
And the bad news….super-abundant ‘Mallee loopers’ - larvae of Pink Arhodia moth are back for another season and wreaking their havoc on all the fresh new growth. :(
January 24, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Yes! It’s good to know these mallees do flower now and then. Eucalyptus dumosa and Euc. leptophylla.
January 24, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Big beauties HC and I saw on Phenology rounds. Julodimorpha spp. Observed trying to mate with orange flagging tape (common mistake for this sp. we understand). Luckily, we’re already removing flagging tape that day before we learned this fact). Hopefully they can now find their females!
December 4, 2024 at 10:06 AM
Using ‘branching’ technique (Tongway and Ludwig 1996) to start restoration of a degraded sand dune. In first year, visual difference in vigour in polycalymma stuartii, likely due to improved micro-climate and nutrient cycling.

Woody debris also catches wind-blown seed.
November 18, 2024 at 10:28 AM