Retired scientists unmask bush graffiti artist

In a remarkable piece of detective work, a team of retired CSIRO scientists have revealed the group of artists responsible for the iconic scribbles found on smooth-barked Eucalyptus trees in southeastern Australia.

Previously thought to be the work of a single species called the Australian Scribbly Gum Moth, the scientists have uncovered at least eleven new species of moths responsible for the iconic bush graffiti.

Although many Australians will be familiar with the distinctive scribbles on gum trees, very little was known until now about the artists that create them, said Dr Marianne Horak, a retired moth expert working in an honorary capacity at CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection — via redwolf.newsvine.com