The adult moths of the subspecies minuta are basically buff colored. The fore wings each have two brown spots and a sparse row of brown dots running parallel to the margin. The hind wings each have one brown spot and a sparse row of brown dots running along an arc parallel to the margin. However variants frequently occur that have a background colour varying from pinkish to greyish. The subspecies ferruginosa is rust coloured. They all have a wing span of about 4 cms.

The females are similar to the males in coloration and size, but have a thicker abdomen, and filamentary antennae.

The moths are difficult to distinguish, without examination of the genitalia, from those of Anthela achromata, but depending on the sex, differ slightly in having a more rounded apex to the forewing, a more pointed apex to the hindwing, and a more circular inner spot on the forewing.

The species is found over much of Australia, including:

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 39.19, p. 395.

Peter Marriott,
Moths of Victoria: Vol 1: Bombycoidea,
Entomological Society of Victoria, 2008, pp. 16-19.

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(updated 27 January 2010)