Cecidosidae is a family of primitive monotrysian moths in the order Lepidoptera which have a piercing ovipositor used for laying eggs in plant tissue in which they induce galls, or they mine in bark. Nine species occur in southern Africa, five species in South America and Xanadoses nielseni was recently described from New Zealand. Some minute parasitoid wasps are known.
The pūriri moth, also commonly called the ghost moth or pepetuna, is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. This moth is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is New Zealand's largest moth, with a wingspan of up to 150 mm. It spends the first five to six years of its life as a grub in a tree trunk, with the last 48 hours of its life as a moth. Footage has been taken of a pūriri moth chrysalis hatching over a period of one hour and forty minutes.
Philocryptica is a monotypic genus of moths belonging to the subfamily Tortricinae of the family Tortricidae. It contains only one species, Philocryptica polypodii, the leather-leaf star-miner, which is endemic to New Zealand. This species has been recorded in both the North Island and the South Island, as far south as Banks Peninsula. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest where the species' larval host is present. The larvae feed on Pyrrosia eleagnifolia, mining the host plant leaves. P. polypodii pupates within the final blotch-mine. Adults are on the wing in November and December.
Amblyptilia falcatalis, the common Hebe plume moth, is a species of moth of the family Pterophoridae. This species was first described by Francis Walker and is endemic to New Zealand. This species can be found in both the North and South Islands. The larval host plants are in the Veronica genus and include Veronica stricta,Veronica salicifolia,Veronica elliptica, Veronica macrocarpa and Veronica speciosa. This moth likely has two broods a year and adults have been observed all year round.
Izatha voluptuosa is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Department of Conservation.
Izatha spheniscella is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is only found on the subantarctic Snares Islands.
Pterophorus monospilalis, the white plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and occurs throughout the country. It inhabits native forest, parks and domestic gardens. Larvae are active during the day, are slow moving, and feed exposed. They feed on Pseudopanax species as well as on Hedera helix, Meryta sinclairii, and Schefflera digitata. There are several broods in a year. Adult moths are on the wing from November until May and are attracted to light.
Ichneutica maya is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in the mountains in southern half of the North Island and in the South Island. I. maya is a distinctively coloured and patterned moth and as such is unlikely to be confused with similar species. I. maya can be found in the southern half of the North Island down through the South Island. This species can be found in alpine to subalpine zones with high rainfall but in Southland this species can be found down to sea level. This life history in the wild is unknown, nor has its larval host species been confirmed. Adults are on the wing from December to March and are attracted to sugar and light traps.
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 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 sulcana, the dark underwing wainscot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone. This species prefers to live in native grass, shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest. The larval host plants of this species are forest grasses and sedges and larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea and species within the genus Carex. The larva pupates in the soil. Adults are on the wing from December to May but have also been recorded in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island. They are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light. I. sulcana and I. supersulcana are very similar in appearance but can be distinguished as there are differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of the two species. Also these two species do not appear to share a range as I. supersulcana seems to prefer to live at higher altitudes than I. sulcana. I. sulcana might also be confused with I. semivittata but I. sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing, and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line.
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 purdii, the orange astelia wainscot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found throughout the main islands of New Zealand. I. purdii is a relatively large, colourful moth, unlikely to be confused with any other endemic moth species in New Zealand. The larvae of this moth feed at night on species of Astelia. During the day they shelter in the interior of the plant. When fully grown the larvae can reach a length of approximately 48mm. The larvae are ocherous in colour with a pink flush with line markings but when ready to pupate these markings fade and the larvae take on a light golden hue with a rosy tinge to its rear segments. The deep wine coloured pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon, with this being constructed below the soil, amongst debris or alternatively within a hollow stick. The adult moths are on the wing from October to March. Although this moth is found throughout the main islands of New Zealand it is more frequent in the south of New Zealand at higher altitudes of up to 1200m.
Hierodoris atychioides is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877. The female holotype specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London. This species is endemic to New Zealand, and can be found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larvae form webs of silk attached to frass and leaves on their hosts in which they shelter, often in the company of other larvae in their species. Their feeding habits have not been observed in detail but Hoare hypothesises the larvae may feed on dead or dying leaves. The larvae feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs, including Dacrydium cupressinum, Prumnopitys taxifolia, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Libocedrus bidwillii, Cupressus macrocarpa, Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea ericoides, Ozothamnus leptophyllus, Abies, Picea, Pinus and Thuja species. Although they are regarded as a pest of exotic forests in New Zealand, the economic damage the larvae cause is minimal and they tend to be controlled only by their natural enemies. Larval enemies include the parasitic flies Trigonospila brevifacies and Pales funesta as well as parasitic wasps including Xanthopimpla rhopaloceros. The adult moths are day flying and are most common during the months of December and January. This species is variable in appearance as larvae, pupa and as adults, and it has been hypothesised that it is in the process of speciation.
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 to 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.
Proteuxoa comma is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found in the lower half of the North Island and throughout the South Island, although it appears to be more frequent on the eastern side of these islands, and also is present in Stewart Island. P. comma is very similar in appearance to P. tetronycha but can be distinguished as it is a larger moth with slightly different colouration on, as well as shape of, its forewings. This species pupates in the soil. The adult moths are on the wing from December to April. P. comma may possibly be declining in population and as at 2017 a reassessment of its conservation status is regarded as being needed.
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 seducta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found only in the Chatham Islands and inhabits native forest. The life history of this species is unknown but the larval host species is likely to be Dracophyllum arboreum. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to January and are attracted to light.
Physetica homoscia is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout New Zealand including in the Auckland Islands. This species inhabits places where its host plants are common and this includes costal dune habitat. It lives at a wide range of altitudes from sea-level up to at least 1750 m. The larvae of P. homoscia feed on Ozothamnus leptophyllus and Ozothamnus vauvilliersii. They are very active and drop to the ground when disturbed. Larvae are parasitised by a species of fly. This species pupates in the soil and the pupa life stage lasts for approximately 6 weeks. The adult moths are on the wing from September to June and are attracted to light. The adults of P. homoscia might possibly be confused with Ichneutica moderata however this latter species lacks the small white dots on the forewing veins of P. homoscia. Adults might also be confused with P. temperata but P. homoscia is significantly larger in size.
Proteodes carnifex is a species of moth in the family Depressariidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. Both the larvae and the adults of this species are variable in appearance. However the adults are normally easily identified as the outline is characteristic and the size is consistent. In appearance, adult moths mimic the leaves of their larval host plants. This species has been found near Wellington in the North Island, the tableland of Mount Arthur, in the Canterbury region, Arthur's Pass and at Lake Wakatipu in the South Island. The larval hosts of this species are southern beech trees particularly Nothofagus solandri var. solandari and Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides but larvae have also been found on Nothofagus fusca, Nothofagus truncata and Nothofagus menziesii. The female moth deposits her eggs individually on the underside of native beech tree leaves. Once hatched the larvae feed on those leaves through winter and spring and then pupate in January. The adult moth emerges from the pupa after fourteen days and is on the wing from January until April. They are day flying moths and are not attracted to light. Various insects parasitise the larvae of this moth including several species of wasp as well as flies including the endemic fly, Pales funesta.
