Genus 1.--NYCTEMERA, Hb.
"Tongue well developed. Antennæ in [M] bipectinated throughout. Palpi
moderately long, porrected or rather ascending, with appressed scales;
terminal joint moderate, cylindrical. Forewings with vein 6 out of 9 or
separate, 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 connected with 9 by a bar. Hind-wings with
veins 6 and 7 stalked or separate, 8 anastomosing shortly with margin of
cell near base." (Plate II., fig. 3 head, 4 neuration of fore-wing, 5
ditto of hind-wing.)
"The single New Zealand species is endemic, but nearly allied to an
Australian form."--(Meyrick.)
NYCTEMERA ANNULATA, Boisd.
(_Leptosoma annulata_, Boisd., Voy. Astr. v. 197, pl. v. 9; Dbld.,
Dieff, N. Z. ii. 284. _Nyctemera doubledayi_, Walk., Bomb. 392.
_Nyctemera annulata_, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S.W., 1886, 700; ditto,
Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 218.)
(Plate IV., fig. 1 [M], 2 [F]; Plate III., fig. 9, larva.)
This species is perhaps one of the best known of the New Zealand
Lepidoptera, occurring in great profusion in all parts of both North and
South Islands. It is also common at Stewart Island, in the neighbourhood of
cultivation.
The expansion of the wings is about 1¾ inches. _All the wings are deep
sooty black. The forewings have an irregular cream-coloured band running
from beyond the middle of the costa towards the tornus._ This band is
interrupted in the middle, and crossed by several black veins, which
sometimes almost break it up into a chain of spots. The hind-wings have a
single large cream-coloured spot near the middle. The body is black, with
several orange markings on the thorax, and a series of broad orange rings
on the abdomen.
This species varies a good deal in the extent of the cream-coloured
markings.
The larva feeds on the New Zealand groundsel (_Senecio bellidioides_), but
in cultivated districts it is more often observed on _Senecio scandens_, a
plant having a superficial resemblance to ivy, which frequently grows in
great profusion on fences and hedgerows in various parts of the country.
Mr. W. W. Smith informs us[4] that it also feeds on the common groundsel
(_S. vulgaris_) as well as on _Cineraria maritima_. I have often seen these
caterpillars on mild days in the middle of winter, and full-grown specimens
are very common towards the end of August, so that I think there is little
doubt that the species passes the winter in the larval condition. At other
seasons there is a continuous succession of broods.
The length of the caterpillar when full grown is 1½ inches. It is covered
with numerous tufts of long black hair, and is black in colour, with the
dorsal and lateral lines dark-red. There are several large blue spots
round the middle of each of the segments, and the membrane between each
segment is bluish-grey. In younger larvæ the bluish-grey colouring
extends over a considerable portion of the insect.
This caterpillar may be readily found, as it feeds on the upper surface of
the leaves fully exposed to view. Its hairy armour evidently renders it
unpalatable to birds, and hence the secret habits we observe in most larvæ
are absent in this species.
When full-fed it selects a secluded spot, generally a crevice in the trunk
of a tree, where it spins an oval cocoon of silk intermixed with its own
hairs. Here it changes {3}into a shining black pupa, speckled and striped
with yellow. The insect remains in this state about six weeks.
The moth first appears in September, and continues abundant until about the
end of March. It is extremely common, especially during the latter end of
summer, when specimens may often be seen flying in all directions. Mr.
Meyrick observes[5] that this species has the curious habit of soaring in
the early morning sunshine, soon after sunrise, in calm, fine weather. He
states that he has seen them in numbers, flying round the tops of trees, at
a height of over 100 feet. I can fully corroborate the accuracy of this
interesting observation, and have noticed the insect to be most active
between the hours of five and eight on fine mornings in midsummer. The
habit is certainly a very unusual one, as most insects are rarely seen at
that time of the day.
This moth is confined to New Zealand, but two closely allied species,
belonging to the same genus, are found in Australia.
Genus 2.--UTETHEISA, Hb.
"Head smooth. Ocelli large. Antennæ in [M] ciliated, with longer setæ at
joints. Palpi moderate, ascending, with loosely appressed scales. Thorax
smooth beneath. Abdomen smooth-scaled. Tibiæ smooth-scaled, spurs very
short. Fore-wings with veins 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 connected with 9.
Hind-legs with veins 3, 4, 5 rather approximated, 6 or 7 connate or
short-stalked, 8 from middle of cell."
"A small genus inhabiting the warmer regions of the world. Larva with
rather scanty hairs, some finely branched."--(Meyrick.)
Represented in New Zealand by a single species of wide distribution.