Culprit

The photo below shows cup moths congregating on a Goldfields Track post at the Castlemaine town edge, presumably taking a break from munching through nearby eucalypts.

Cup moth conference, Etty Street Castlemaine, September 2013: the second infestation in two years is patchy, but in some places devastating.

As we predicted in April, the infestation is back. Bushland at the north end of the Fryers Forest is in a pretty dire shape, facing its second attack in two years, as are trees in other parts of our region. The bush in the Diggings Park south of Vaughan Springs doesn’t seem to be so badly affected.

For some interesting recent thoughts on insect infestations, cup moths and cuckoos, check Geoff Park’s Natural Newstead blog here. Also for some very pertinent observations on long term effects of drought stress and insect attack in our region and elsewhere in Victoria, check out Ian Lunt’s excellent Ecology Blog.