The Magnificent Sun-Moth (Synemon magnifica) is a moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...

 in the Castniidae

Castniidae

Castniidae, or castniid moths, is a small family of moths with less than 200 species: The majority are Neotropical with some in Australia and a few in south-east Asia. These are medium-sized to very large moths, usually with drab, cryptically-marked forewings and brightly coloured hindwings. They...

 family. It is found in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, including New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

.

The larvae feed on Lepidosperma viscidum. First instar larvae tunnel into the tiller where they feed internally on the tissues of the stem and leaf bases. Each larva attacks several tillers in this way. They then move to the soil and construct short, silk-lined tunnels from where they feed externally on the rhizomes of the food plant. The larva finally excavate a vertical tunnel to the soil surface and constructed a chimney of silk and dead leaf debris. Pupation takes place in the tunnel immediately beneath this chimney. The life cycle occupies two years but
in some instances may extend to three years.