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Te pakeke o te anuhe whakakāniwha noho harakeke

Flax notch moth

Tmetolophota steropastis Meyrick
Flax notch moth [Tmetolophota steropastis] (male)

Flax notch moth Tmetolophota steropastis (male)

Pūtoi
Order
Lepidoptera
Whānau
Family
Noctuidae
Show in English Te Reo

Te Rahi

  • E 40 mm te whānui mai i te pito o tētahi parirau ki tētahi.

Size range

  • Wingspan of moth up to 40 mm

Te Tītaringa

  • He momo māori. Kitea ai i ngā whenua e pātata ana ki te repo.

Distribution

  • Native species. Seen near swamps.

Te Huringa Ora

  • Kai ai ngā anuhe kōwhai–parauri i ngā rau pūhou o te harakeke (Phormium tenax), me te aha, he kāniwha ka mahue iho ki ngā tapa.
  • He oho pō, he haere pō ngā anuhe.

Life history

  • Brown–yellow caterpillars feed on young flax (Phormium tenax) leaves, leaving notches along the edges
  • Caterpillar activity is nocturnal