General News
10 July, 2026
Eagle-eyed enthusiast spots rare insects
Maryborough recently had two rare sightings of a butterfly and moth identified by a local citizen scientist.
Maryborough recently had two rare sightings of a butterfly and moth thanks to the “nerdy” enthusiasm of a new resident.
Darren Bird describes himself as a naturalist, specifically a moth and butterfly aficionado, whose hobby brought him into the growing world of citizen scientists.
That’s a movement where data is crowd sourced from the general public to support real scientific work.
Among the most popular ways to contribute is through the non-profit organisation iNaturalist, who encourage people to record and share their observations of the natural world.
Mr Bird has shared over 400 photographs using this platform, but two nearby Bristol Hill earlier this year stand out.
He had just moved to Maryborough a week before when he was on a walk around Bristol Hill Tower — the white walls a hot spot for moths.
There, bright green with white spots, was a moth Mr Bird said few people had ever seen — known as an Emerald Moth.
The sighting was “pure luck”, according to Mr Bird, because their season is only a few weeks a year elsewhere in Central Victoria.
“If you miss that timing you have to wait another year, but even then there’s only very few people in Victoria who have seen this moth,” he said.
It was a white whale moment, and Mr Bird was Captain Ahab, the only problem was he didn’t have his camera. Worse still, there were two adults and a child fast approaching who he was concerned would frighten the moth.
“I was so nerdy,” he said.
Still, he got his photo, and plans to look for more next year.
“I always take my camera now, I learnt after that moth, to not walk up to Bristol Hill without it,” he said.
It was a month later he saw the Spotted Grass-Blue Butterfly — easily mistaken for more common species.
He almost made the same mistake in late April but Mr Bird said he “couldn’t help himself” but look through the camera lens.
That’s when the distinctive spots of a species only a centimetre tall stood out.
He didn’t recognise it.
“Instantly I went click, to get my record shot, but then it buggered off,” he said.
What he photographed, and didn’t trust himself to admit until it was verified, was a species most common in northern New South Wales, Queensland, and much of Asia.
No-one on the iNaturalist app had observed one as far south as Victoria.
“It’s not quite as good as a new species but it’s getting damn close,” he said.
Mr Bird said there were two theories behind the sighting.
One is that recent floods have pushed it south, or, it’s from a small population recorded on the Murray River around the 1970s.
“If I just thought it’s another common butterfly I’d be none the wiser,” he said.
“I feel like I’m making valuable contributions.”
Mr Bird attributes his infectious enthusiasm to reconnecting with a childhood passion later in life.
He remembers his grandfather making him an insect cage when he was seven years old.
“Then as I became an adult I thought I better give this all away because I’m an adult now,” he said.
Decades later, he’s now “hooked” again, taking hundreds of photos since moving to Maryborough, going so far as to record the life-cycle of local moth and butterfly species.
“I get really excited about adding it to science and adding my new home town of Maryborough to the world map,” he said.
Mr Bird recently shared his passion with the Maryborough Field Naturalists’ Club on Monday night.
The club’s treasurer, Sue Lloyd said people don’t realise what’s out there in the local environment.
She encouraged those interested in nature, both learning about it practically and through knowledgeable speakers, to join.
Mr Bird said residents may be surprised by what they find by being more observant.
“People think these days just about everything has been discovered … but the world of moths you could turn up something new,” he said.
CORRECTION (10/7): In a previous version of this story the Maryborough District Advertiser incorrectly referred to Darren Bird as David Bird.