Ichneutica moderata

Ichneutica moderata
	Female
	Male
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Ichneutica
Species:	I. moderata
Binomial name
	Ichneutica moderata; (Walker, 1865)
Synonyms
	Agrotis? moderataWalker, 1858 ; Mamestra griseipennisFelder & Rogenhofer, 1875 ; Aletia moderata(Walker, 1858) ; Graphania moderata(Walker, 1858) ; Graphania griseipennis(Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) ; Aletia (s.l.) moderata(Walker, 1858) ; Mythimna moderata(Walker, 1858) ;

Last updated February 10, 2024

Ichneutica moderata is a moth of the family Noctuidae.^[2] This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found from the Bay of Plenty south including the Chatham Islands. I. moderata inhabits open spaces in lowland to montane zones. Larvae likely feed on a variety of low growing herbaceous plants including on Raoulia species. Larvae create silk covered tunnels in the roots of their host plants. Pupa are enclosed in a loose silken cocoons and are sheltered amongst the host species roots. The adult moths are on the wing from October to April.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865 using specimens collected in Nelson by Mr T. R. Oxley.^[3]^[1] Walker was unsure of the genus and so named the species Agrotis? moderata.^[3] The lectotype specimen is held by the Natural History Museum, London.^[4] Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer also described this species, thinking it new, in 1875 and named it Mamestra griseipennis.^[5] This name was synonymised with Aletia moderata by J. S. Dugdale in 1988.^[4] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae.^[1] During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Aletia was subsumed into that genus as a synonym.^[1] As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica moderata.^[1]

Description

Walker described this species as follows:

Male and female. Dark cinereous, cinereous beneath. Palpi slightly ascending, extending a little beyond the head ; second joint densely pilose ; third elongate-conical, not more than one-third of the length of the second. Antennae of the male pubescent, setulose. Abdomen of the male extending rather beyond the hind wings; apical tuft subquadrate. Fore wings with four irregular lines composed of black lunules; first and second lines on the inner side of a diffuse blackish band; third and fourth beyond the band, undulating, approximate to each other ; submarginal line cinereous, dentate, continued in the male to the exterior border; marginal lunules black. Hind wings brown ; fringe pale cinereous. Length of the body 8 — 9 lines ; of the wings 19 — 20 lines.^[3]

The adult male of the species has a wingspan of between 33 and 38 mm, the female has a wingspan of between 36 and 43 mm.^[1] This species is nondescript but can be distinguished from other similar appearing species as both the male and female have unmarked creamy white fringes on their hindwings.^[1]

Hudson described the larvae of the species as follows:

The length of the full-grown larva is about 1+3⁄8 (35 mm.), stout, cylindrical, slightly tapering at each end; back pale dull reddish; sides dull greenish, speckled and suffused with blackish; underside clear, pale, dull green. Head ochreous-brown, with two conspicuous blackish-brown stripes; thoracic segments pale greenish-brown; second segment with elongate-oval blackish-brown horny dorsal plate; other thoracic segments with rudimentary dorsal plates. General surface somewhat wrinkled. A conspicuous series of trapezoidal black marks on the back of segments 5-11, faintly posteriorly; segments 12 and 13 darker on back; a narrow, pale reddish dorsal line; a double series of highly polished warts on each abdominal segment, except the last, and a single series on each thoracic segment. Spiracles black.^[6]

Distribution

This species is found throughout New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands, with the only exception being the northern part of the North Island, that is Bay of Plenty north.^[1]

Habitat

I. moderata prefers open habitats in the montane to lowlands zones.^[1]

Behaviour

Adults of this species are on the wing from October to April.^[1]

Life history and host species

The larvae of this species likely feed on various kinds of low growing herbaceous plants.^[1] However I. moderata larvae are recorded as being associated with Raoulia particularly the species R. australis, R. subulata and R. beauverdii as well as Crassula manaia.^[1] Larvae have also been reared on Bellis perennis.^[1] Larvae create tunnels lined with silk amongst the roots of the species' host plants.^[1] Pupa are enclosed in an insubstantial and easily damaged silken cocoon amongst the roots.^[6]

Related Research Articles

Ichneutica mutans, commonly known as the New Zealand cutworm or the grey-brown cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This moth endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout New Zealand, including from Three Kings Islands down to Stewart Island. However this species is not found in the Chatham Islands. The adult moths are on the wing all year round. I. mutans is variable in appearance and can be confused with similar species in the same genus. As a result of the variety of host species consumed by the larvae of the species, including such crops as turnips, wheat and apples, this species is regarded as an agricultural pest. However between the early 1960s and late 1980s the population of I. mutans was shown to have decreased significantly, by over 80%, at two study sites.

Ichneutica lignana is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found on the Three Kings Islands as well as the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species lives in a variety of habitats including coastal areas, tussock grasslands, shrublands, and native forest, at a range of altitudes from sea level to over 1300 m. I. lignana is quite distinctive in appearance with its dark markings on the abdomen and forewings although it is possible to confuse Ichneutica morosa, Meterana pansicolor and Meterana pascoi with this species. Adults are on the wing throughout the year in the northern parts of the New Zealand but are restricted to the months of October to April in the more southern parts of the country.

Ichneutica insignis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to and found throughout New Zealand, although it appears to be scarce at inland sites of tussock grasslands. The adults are on the wing throughout the year. It is a variable species and as such can be easily confused with I. skelloni and I. plena. The larvae of this species have been recorded as feeding on Trifolium pratense.

Ichneutica ustistriga is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found from the Three Kings Islands to Stewart Island. This species lives in a wide variety of habitats including domestic gardens, horticultural areas, orchards, native and exotic grasslands, as well as native forest. The larvae eat a variety of herbaceous plants. Recorded food plants include Muehlenbeckia australis, Muehlenbeckia complexa, Olearia hectorii, and Plantago lanceolata. This moth has a mauvish grey wing colour and is unlikely to be confused with other species as the patterns on its forewing are distinctive. This species is on the wing throughout the year and is attracted to both sugar and light traps. Adult moths can be found at rest on fences and tree trunks during the day.

Ichneutica semivittata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found from the Three King Islands down to Stewart Island. The similar species I. sulcana can be distinguished from I. semivittata as the former is much larger, has a darker hindwing and abdomen and has only one to three spots located behind the middle of the forewing in comparison to the 8 or 9 of I. semivittata. This species lives in a variety of habitats from open grasslands to clearings in forest and at a range of altitudes from the sea level to the alpine zone. Larval host species include Juncus procera, Carex secta as well as on tussock grasses such as Poa cita, P. colensoi and Festuca novae-zelandiae. Adults of this species are on the wing from August to April and are attracted to light.

Ichneutica plena is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is widespread throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands. It is a variable in appearance and therefore can be confused with its near relatives I. peridotea and I. insignis. The larvae of I. plena feed on herbaceous plants including Fuchsia excorticata, Coprosma species, and introduced species such as garden fuchsia as well as crops such as apple trees. Adults of this species are on the wing from late August until May.

Ichneutica nullifera is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the Tongariro National Park, along the Wellington coast and throughout the South Island. The adults are large and the forewing of adults can vary in colour from pale fawn to dark grey. The larvae are coloured a bright yellow-brown with a paler underside. The larval host species are in the genus Aciphylla and as a result the adult moths are often found in habitat dominated by species in this genus. Adults are on the wing from November to early April and are sometimes attracted to 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 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 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.

Austramathes purpurea is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North and South Islands but has yet to be recorded at Stewart Island. It inhabits native forest. This species might possibly be confused with A. pessota, however this latter species does not have the purple hue to the forewings. The larvae of A. purpurea feed primarily on māhoe but have been recorded as feeding on, and have been reared on, narrow-leaved māhoe. The larvae pupate in a silken cocoon on moss covered ground. Adults can be found on the wing during the months of March to January but mainly occur during New Zealand's late autumn, winter, and spring. Light trapping may not be the most efficient technique for collecting this species.

Ichneutica fibriata is a moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. Specimens of this moth were first collected by Frederick Giles Gibbs. The species is similar in appearance to other species in the Ichneutica genus particularly I. eris but can be distinguished due to its larger size and more uniform light grey colour. I. fibriata also has a similar coloured thorax and head where as these two anatomical features may differ in colour shade in I. eris. Adults frequent alpine areas and are on the wing in November to January. The life history and the host species of the larvae of this species is 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 nobilia is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the South Island, although not in the Nelson, Dunedin or Southland regions. This species prefers rocky habitats in alpine zones and the blueish-grey sheen on the species' forewings help camouflage it. Adults of I. nobilia are on the wing from December to February and are attracted to light. The life history of this species is unknown as are the host species of its larvae.

Ichneutica marmorata is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North Island at the Tongariro National Park and at Puketitiri near the Kaweka Range. In the South Island it is widespread. It prefers alpine to subalpine habitat but occurs down to sea level altitudes in more southern locations. Adults are on the wing from late October to February. Larvae of this species may use tussock grasses in the genus Chionochloa as their host and they have been reared on Festuca novae-zelandiae.

Ichneutica disjungens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and can be found on the central volcanic plateau of the North Island and in the eastern as well as the south western parts of the South Island. I. disjungens inhabits tussock grasslands in the alpine and subalpine zones. The hosts of the larvae of this species include Poa cita, P. colensoi, and Festuca novae-zelandiae. The adults of this species are distinctive and are unlikely to be confused with other species. They are on the wing between October and March.

Ichneutica virescens is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand, and is found in the southern North Island and throughout the South Island. The species is found in alpine, sub-alpine, and down to sea-level in grassland habitats. Adults are on the wing from November through to April. The likely larval host may be grasses, but larvae have been reared on a range of plants. The adults are similar to I. panda, I. falsidica and I. nobilia, but is distinguished by size, wing colouration, and antennae formation.

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.

Ichneutica paracausta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found locally in the central North Island, is widespread in the South Island and can also be found in Stewart Island. I. paracausta is variable in colour, but as it has a distinctive black streak on its forewing as well as a wing pattern that is characteristic, I. paracausta is unlikely to be confused with other species. It is present on the North Island volcanic plateau as well as Little Bush Reserve in Hawkes Bay in the North Island as well as in tussock grassland, alpine and subalpine shrubland and in alpine forest. Larvae have been recorded as feeding on grasses, a pupa has been found in a cocoon under the bark of a tree and adult moths are on the wing from October to January.

Ichneutica infensa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found throughout the North and South Islands but appears to be rarely seen or collected in the north and west parts of the North Island. As at 2019 the northern limit to the range of this species is Titirangi. I. infensa inhabits tussock grasslands and native forest. Larvae are nocturnal and its host plants are in the genus Carex including Carex solandri. Larvae have also been raised on Bromus catharticus. Adults of this species are on the wing from late October to February. Adults are narrow winged with patterns on the forewings that are relatively distinctive. However this species can possibly be confused with I. inscripta.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.
↑ "Ichneutica moderata (Walker, 1865)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
1 2 3 Gray, John Edward; Walker, Francis (1865). List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum /. Vol. 32. London: Trustees of the British Museum. pp. 705–706. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.58221.
1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 200. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
↑ Felder, Cajetan; Rogenhofer, Alois Friedrich (1875). Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. von W. Wien: Kaiserlich. pp. pl. CIX fig. 22. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.1597.
1 2 Hudson, George Vernon (1950). Fragments of New Zealand entomology : a popular account of all the New Zealand cicadas : the natural history of the New Zealand glow-worm : a second supplement to The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, and notes on many other native insects. Wellington, N.Z.: Ferguson & Osborn. p. 76. OCLC 154155584.

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[Hoare2019-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica". Fauna of New Zealand. 80: 1–455. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80.

[NZOR-2] "Ichneutica moderata (Walker, 1865)". www.nzor.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-20.

[Walker1865-3] 1 2 3 Gray, John Edward; Walker, Francis (1865). List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum /. Vol. 32. London: Trustees of the British Museum. pp. 705–706. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.58221.

[Dugdale1988-4] 1 2 Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 200. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.

[5] Felder, Cajetan; Rogenhofer, Alois Friedrich (1875). Reise der österreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. von W. Wien: Kaiserlich. pp. pl. CIX fig. 22. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.1597.

[Hudson1950-6] 1 2 Hudson, George Vernon (1950). Fragments of New Zealand entomology : a popular account of all the New Zealand cicadas : the natural history of the New Zealand glow-worm : a second supplement to The butterflies and moths of New Zealand, and notes on many other native insects. Wellington, N.Z.: Ferguson & Osborn. p. 76. OCLC 154155584.

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