Ichneutica lissoxyla is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the central and southern parts of the North Island and in most parts of the South Island. The species prefers snowgrass habitat in the alpine zone. I. lissoxyla is similar in appearance to I. paraxysta but can be distinguished as I. lissoxyla lack the black streaks on the forewings that can be found on the latter species and the male I. lissoxyla also has longer pectinations on antennae. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. Adults are on the wing from January to April and are attracted to the light.
Ichneutica pelanodes is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been found in scattered locations in the North, South and Stewart Islands. I. pelanodes is easily confused with I. skelloni as the two species are visually extremely similar. In the North Island though the range of the two species appears not to overlap. Generally of the two species I. pelanodes tends to be darker in appearance. I. pelanodes inhabits wetlands but the life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. Adults are on the wing from October to February and are attracted both to sugar and light traps.
Ichneutica sericata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is variable and difficult to distinguish from I. skelloni specimens. It is known from the southern part of the South Island and from Stewart Island. There has been one specimen collected in Taranaki but although Robert Hoare determined the species, he expressed reservations given the location of collection. I. sercata inhabits shrubland at altitudes of between 470 and 900m. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adults of this species are on the wing in August at Stewart Island and in November and December in the South Island.
Ichneutica arotis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found throughout the North and South Islands but has yet to be recorded on Stewart Island. I. arotis is variable in appearance and have been described as having a "northern dark form", a "typical" form and a "swamp" form. Robert Hoare hypothesised that this species may be in the process of evolving into several distinct species. However, as these forms show no difference in antennae or genitalia so, as at 2019, they are not regarded as separate species. Larval hosts include species in the genera Cortaderia and Schoenus as well as Phormium tenax. The caterpillar feeds at night and rests in during the day amongst dead flax leaves. It pupates in a loose cocoon either hidden at the base of a stem of flax or on the ground. The adults of this species is on the wing from September to April. In the North Island there have also been records of adults being on the wing in June to August.
Ichneutica atristriga is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found through out the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larval hosts likely include tussock grasses included Poa cita, P. colensoi and Festuca novae-zelandiae. Larvae have been reared on species in the genera Bromus and Festuca. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to May. I. atristriga can possibly be confused with the smaller species I. propria. However I. atristriga has thorax and forewings that have a pinkish tinge and I. propria has a dark streak on the discal part of the forewing which I. atristriga lacks. A study has indicated that the population numbers of this species have decreased.
Ichneutica blenheimensis is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North, South and the Stewart Islands. This species appears to prefer drier eastern localities and is rarely collected in western North Island forested areas. It does not appear to be frequently collected in inland dry tussock grassland habitats. The host plant for the larvae of this species is likely to be the golden sand sedge pīngao which is now absent from the moths type locality. However Chappell has raised very young larvae on grass species and the more developed larvae consumed Phormium tenax. Adults are on the wing from November to March and are attracted to both light and sugar traps. The blackish forewing fringes are diagnostic of this species. But worn specimens of I. arotis can be confused with worn specimens of I. blenheimensis. However I. arotis can be distinguished from I. blenheimensis as it has a scale-tuft on the thorax and dark longitudinal stripes on the tegula. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.
Ichneutica micrastra is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been found only in the North Island and has been collected in the Northland, Auckland, Whanganui and Wellington regions. The preferred habitat of this species is wetlands and heathlands including gum fields in Northland. Adults of this species are on the wing from October to December. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae however it has been hypothesised that the likely larval host is a grass or grass like plant. This species is very similar in appearance to I. phaula and I. sapiens but can be distinguished as a result of differences in male antennae, the shape, colour and size of forewings, the range of the species as well as differences in genital shape.
Ichneutica phaula is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found only in the South Island in the Nelson district, the eastern side of the South Island and Stewart Island. I. phaula inhabits tussock grasslands and coastal sand dunes. Host species include Ficinia spiralis, Ammophila arenaria, Poa cita and other "tussock grasses". The adults of this species are on the wing from October to December and are attracted to sugar traps. I. phaula is similar in appearance to both I. micastra, with whom it does not share a range, and I. sapiens which differs from I. phaula as I. sapiens is darker and has a more reddish tinge.
Ichneutica unica is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the centre of the North Island and throughout the South Island. This moth is very similar in appearance to its close relatives Ichneutica phaula and Ichneutica toroneura. I. phaula can be distinguished as there is a difference in pectinations on the male antennae and I. toroneura can be distinguished as the black vein markings on the forewings is more uniform for that species in comparison to I. unica. I. unica is variable in appearance with the North Island specimens having a darker brown colour on the forewings and having a darker underside of the hindwings. This species inhabits open tussock grassland at various altitudes, coastal dunes, and inland volcanic dunes. Larvae feed on tussock grasses such as Chionochloa pallens and species in the genus Poa. Adult moths are on the wing from November to February and are attracted to both sugar and light traps.
Ichneutica steropastis, or the flax notcher moth, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country from the Three Kings Islands to Stewart Island as well as in the Chatham Islands. The larvae of this species feed on a variety of native and introduced plants however the New Zealand flax is one of the more well known host plants for the larvae of this moth. The larvae are nocturnal, hiding away in the base of the plants and coming out to feed at night. They create a distinctive notch in the leaf when they feed. The adults of this species are on the wing from October to March. Although adult specimens of I. steropastis are relatively easy to recognise they might possibly be confused with I. inscripta, I. theobroma or with darker forms of I. arotis. However I. steropastis can be distinguished as it has a long dark basal forewing streak that these three species lack.
Ichneutica toroneura is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is similar to I. unica but can be distinguished from that species by the uniform black vein markings on the forewings of I. toroneura. It is also similar in appearance to I. acontistis but the base of the forewings of I. toroneura lack the dark stripe that can be found on the forewings of I. acontistis. The males of I. toroneura have longer pectinations on their antennae. I. toroneura is found in the centre of southern South Island in the tussock grasslands of Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin. Larvae feed on tussock grasses Poa cita and Festuca novae-zelandiae. Adults are on the wing from November to January.
Ichneutica epiastra is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species prefers open habitats such as wetlands, dunes and forest clearings. Eggs are laid in the summer or autumn and larvae feed during winter and spring. The larval host species are found within the genus Austroderia. The adult moths are on the wing between October and February. Adult I. epiastra can possibly be confused with the similar species I. arotis and I. haedifrontella however there are differences in appearance that enables I. epiastra to be distinguished from these two species. In particular I. epiastra has long sharp-tipped ‘horns' on its head that are diagnostic. The adults of this species appear reluctant to be attracted to light although they do come more frequently to the brighter mercury vapour traps.
Ichneutica agorastis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This moth is similar in appearance to two other species in the genus but can be distinguished through the colour and size of its forewings. This species is found in the South Island and Stewart Island in open habitats in the subalpine zone. However, in Southland I. agorastis can be found down to sea-level. Adult moths are on the wing between January and April. The life history and host species are unknown.
Ichneutica panda is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and only found in central and southern parts of the South Island. The species has not been collected in Canterbury since the late 1950s and has not been seen at The Wilderness scientific reserve since 1941. This species is similar in appearance to Ichneutica falsidica however I. panda lack or have indistinct black dashes on their edge of their hindwings. I. panda inhabit shrubland from alpine zones down to river terraces and adults are on the wing between December and February. The life history of this species is unknown as is the host species of the larvae.
Ichneutica brunneosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the North Island from Mount Te Aroha and in the South Island from the Coromandel to Stewart Island. However it appears to not be present in the centre of the South Island. The distinctive colour and patterns on the forewing of this species ensures it is unlikely to be confused with similar species. It inhabits native forests with higher rainfall and is attracted to mercury vapour light traps. The life history of I. brunneosa is unknown as are the host species of its larvae but the adults of the species are on the wing from October to January.
Ichneutica naufraga is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is only found on Big South Cape Island. The host of I. naufraga larvae is Poa foliosa, upon which the larvae feed at night. Adult moths have been recorded on the wing in November. This species can be distinguished from the visually similar I. mutans as both the male and female of the former species lack the distinctive dark marking that can be found on the forewings of I. mutans. The female I. naufraga is coloured a brown shade as opposed to the grey I. mutans and the male I. naufraga has longer antenna pectinations.
Ichneutica skelloni is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. Its presence has been confirmed in the North Island only in the Wellington region but is widespread throughout the South Island. It is also found in Stewart Island. I. skelloni is extremely variable in size, in the colour and patterns on the fore and hind wings, length of pectinations on male antennae and even in its genitalia. A larger more patterned form can be found in Westland and Fiordland, a medium-sized form is found from Wellington to Stewart Island and there is also a smaller Dunedin and Southland form. This species can be confused with specimens with the species I. insignis, I. scutata and I. pelanodes. I. skelloni can be found in forest and shrubland habitat. Adults are on the wing from July to April and are attracted to light. Host plants for the larvae are found in the genera Plantago, Senecio and Ranunculus and also include the species Bellis perennis.
Ichneutica sapiens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. I. sapiens is found in the central North Island, in the South Island in Westland and also the southern parts of the South Island, and in Stewart Island. This species inhabits wetland habitat but its life history is unknown as are the host species of its larvae. The adult moths are on the wing between December and early January and are attracted to sugar traps and to light. I. sapiens is very similar in appearance to I. micrastra but is a smaller moth with a shorter wingspan, has differently formed antennae and slightly different forewing markings.
Ichneutica theobroma is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. The males of this species has a pink chocolate brown appearance to its forewings with a small white dot. The males of this species can be distinguished from the 'northern dark form' of Ichneutica arotis as they have broader shaped forewings with less markings than the latter species. The females are extremely difficult if not impossible to tell apart. I. theobroma are found in the northern parts of the North Island and inhabit kauri forests. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae although it has been hypothesised that larval hosts include Gahnia setifolia and Gahnia xanthocarpa. Adults of this species are on the wing from mid September until early November and are attracted to light.
Ichneutica sistens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the central North Island and throughout the South Island, although it is more common on the eastern side of that latter Island. It is very variable in both colour and size. I. sistens prefers open habitat such as tussock grasslands, dunes and braided rivers. Larval host species include grasses in the family Poaceae and include species in the genera Rytidosperma and Elymus, as well as Poa cita and Agrostis capillaris. Adults are on the wing from January to May and are attracted to light.
