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
The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull
ochreous; there is a series of fine brown and reddish wavy transverse
lines near the base, forming a rather broad basal band; then a pale
central area containing a blackish dot above the middle; next, a very
distinct band made up of several fine wavy grey lines, with a rounded
projection near the middle; this is followed by numerous pale brown
curved marks forming more or less broken transverse lines; _there is
always an oblique slaty patch below the apex_, and a series of minute
dots on the termen. The hind-wings are ochreous brown, slightly darker
towards the base, with numerous indistinct wavy brown lines. _The apex of
the fore-wing is very pointed and slightly hooked downwards; the termen
is bowed near the middle._ The female is much duller and more uniform in
colour than the male, and the antennæ are simple.
This species is very variable. Some male specimens have several more or
less distinct white markings on the middle of the fore-wings; the
transverse bands also differ considerably in both size and intensity. The
females are not so variable; but in some specimens the bands on the
fore-wings are almost absent, whilst others have the fore-wings rich brown,
with a very conspicuous dark central band.
{56}The eggs when first deposited are pale yellow. They turn dark
reddish-brown for some days before the young larva emerges.
The young larva is rather stout, dark brownish-black with numerous fine
parallel ochreous lines; the whole body is covered with rather long
bristles.
The perfect insect appears from October till April, and frequents forest,
where it is generally very abundant. It is a difficult insect to identify
on the wing, and in consequence is often captured under a misapprehension.
This species probably hibernates in the imago state during the winter
months, as we may often observe specimens abroad on mild evenings, at that
season.
ASAPHODES PARORA, Meyr.
(_Harpalyce humeraria_, Meyr. (nec Walk.), Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 64.
_Harpalyce parora_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvii. 63. _Probolæa
parora_, ib. xviii. 184.)
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