Native grasslands in Tasmania are well endowed wit h xanthorhoine geometrid moths. The tribe, wit h 53 species in Tasmania, offers insights into the differential susceptibility to environmental change of related species over a relatively small geographical area. These moths can be allocated to a spectrum of susceptibility to local extinction. Larval foodplant preferences are one key to the persistence of species in habitats under varying degrees of disturbance. Survival of these plants, and hence xanthorhoines, is sensitive to grazing pressure, fire regimes and human management, including fertilizer application and oversowing with clovers. Since native grasslands are among the most heavily exploited habitats in Tasmania due to their commercial potential and long history of alienation, xanthorhoine moths are a sensitive barometer of management outcomes whether for biodiversity or sustainable production.