In field conditions in South Australia hatching of eggs of Ectropis excursaria showed a morning and an afternoon peak. In the laboratory, hatching coincided with “lights-on” stimulus at 20°C, 10:14 and 12:12 L:D. Increase or decrease of temperature by 5°C shifted the start of hatching to late scotophase while increasing photoperiod shifted a substantial proportion of hatching to later in photophase. Survival of first instars was linearly related to saturation-deficit of the atmosphere.