New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)Hudson, G. V. (George Vernon)
Science
New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)
Hudson, G. V. (George Vernon)
Lepidoptera -- New Zealand
When disturbed this insect flies with considerable rapidity and thus often
eludes the net, so that the capture of a good series of specimens on a
rugged mountain-top is usually very exciting, if not actually dangerous
work. As with many other {115}insects, mountain ranges are more prolific in
this butterfly than isolated peaks. Mount Peel, situated to the west of
Mount Arthur, is the best locality I know of for this and many other Alpine
species. Its gentle slopes enable the collector to work with perfect ease
and safety, whilst the patches of rich soil occurring nearly to the top of
the mountain support an unusually varied Alpine flora of great interest.
EREBIA BUTLERI, Fereday.
(_Erebiola butleri_, Fereday, Trans. N. Z. Inst. xii. 264; Catalogue of N.
Z. Butterflies, 19.)
(Plate XI., fig. 11 [M], 12 [F], 13 under side.)
This interesting butterfly was described from three dilapidated specimens
captured by Mr. J. D. Enys at Whitcombe's Pass, Canterbury, on March 8,
1879, at about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. From that time I believe no
other specimens had been found until January, 1894, when I took quite a
large number on the Humboldt Range, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, at
elevations ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea-level.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1-5/8 inches, of the female 1½
inches. _On the upper side all the wings of the male are smoky-brown; the
fore-wings have a large black ocellus near the apex, enclosing two white
dots, followed by a smaller ocellus towards the dorsum; the hind-wings
have three black spots near the termen, sometimes enclosing white dots._
Occasionally these ocelli are surrounded by a patch of deep
reddish-brown. The female is much paler, with large patches of
yellowish-brown surrounding the ocelli. On the under side the fore-wings
of the male are smoky-brown, with an irregular blotch of reddish-brown
near the apex, surrounding a small white-centred black ocellus. _The
hind-wings are dark reddish-brown, with several conspicuous black-edged
silvery markings, and four yellowish-red spots near the termen._ The
under side of the female is very much paler.
This butterfly varies considerably on the upper side in the number and size
of the ocelli, and in the extent of the reddish-brown markings which
surround them; on the under side the silvery spots on the hind-wings are
also variable.
The perfect insect has been taken in January and March. It evidently
frequents mountains in the South Island, at elevations of about 4,000 feet,
but does not appear to be generally distributed in such localities. It
seldom settles on the shingle, mostly resting on the snow grass, on which
its larva probably feeds. It is a smaller insect than _E. pluto_, and flies
much more feebly. These characteristics will at once enable the collector
to distinguish it from _E. pluto_ when on the wing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account