(_Protoparce distans_, Butl. _Sphinx convolvuli_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst.
xxii. 213.)
(Plate XIII., fig. 1.; Plate III., figs. 13 and 14 varieties of larvæ.)
This handsome insect often occurs in the northern portions of the North
Island, but becomes very rare southward of Napier and New Plymouth. In the
South Island it has been taken at Nelson, and recently a very mutilated
specimen of what appears to be this species has been found by Mr. Philpott,
near West Plains, Invercargill. With these exceptions I have not heard of
its appearance in any other localities in the South Island.
The expansion of the wings is about 3½ inches. The fore-wings are
greyish-brown with several irregular, darker markings near the base; and
a broad, dark, central band; beyond the central band there is a very
irregular, pale grey, toothed line. The hind-wings are yellowish-grey,
with four transverse, darker stripes, the outermost one strongly toothed.
The head and thorax are dark grey, paler on the back, with two
conspicuous tufts of pale grey hair on the shoulders. _The abdomen is
grey, striped on the sides with rose-colour and black._
The larva feeds on _Convolvulus_. Like many of the caterpillars of the
_Sphingidæ_, there are two very distinct varieties: one is bright green,
with white spiracles, and a series of diagonal yellow lines above them; the
other is dull yellowish-brown, with broad blackish-brown dorsal and ventral
lines, and a series of triangular blackish spots above the spiracles, which
in this variety are jet-black. In both these forms of {100}larvæ the anal
horn is dark red tipped with black, and the skin is covered with numerous
fine wrinkles. The length of the caterpillar when full grown is 3½ inches.
About the middle or end of February these larvæ generally bury themselves
in the ground, where they are transformed into pupæ. They remain in that
condition until the following summer.
The pupa is about 2 inches in length and is of a dark mahogany-brown
colour. It is furnished with a large curved process, projecting from the
lower side of the head, and containing the enormous proboscis of the future
moth.
The perfect insect appears in November and December. It flies with
incredible velocity at evening dusk, and is often observed hovering over
flowers, and whilst poised in the air above them, extracts the honey with
its long proboscis. Mr. A. P. Buller has very kindly furnished me with the
following interesting notes on the habits of this species, as observed by
him in the Auckland district:--
"During the summer of 1879 I came across _S. convolvuli_ in great numbers,
near Ohinemutu, in the Hot Lake district, frequenting at dusk a tall,
delicately perfumed meadow flower (_Oenothera biennis_, commonly called the
evening primrose). They were to be seen on the wing soon after sundown, and
on warm, still evenings literally swarmed. It was an extremely pretty sight
to watch their rapid movements as they darted from flower to flower, never
alighting, and keeping up a constant vibration of their wings as they
probed the yellow blossoms. They appeared to be extremely local, for I only
met with them on a few of the grassy slopes round the shores of Lake
Rotorua. I visited the same locality two years later, at the same season,
and only occasionally saw one, although the evening primrose was in full
bloom at the time. In 1882 I captured several at flowers of the
trumpet-tree (_Brugmansia_) in a garden near Auckland. The same summer I
found large numbers of the larvæ at Waiwera (near Auckland), on a species
of convolvulus growing in profusion on the sandhills in the vicinity.
Although the larvæ were so abundant I never came across the perfect insect.
I obtained some twenty or thirty of the pupæ, but unfortunately was never
successful in hatching out the imago. As far as my knowledge goes, this
beautiful moth is confined to the Auckland and Waikato districts, although
I have heard of a single specimen being taken in Hawkes Bay."
I am also much indebted to Mr. Buller for the loan of a very perfect
specimen of this moth, expressly lent to me for figuring and describing in
the present work.
Mr. Meyrick informs us that this insect occurs throughout Europe, Asia,
Africa, Australia and the islands of the South Pacific, wherever a suitable
situation is found, and has been met with far out at sea.[43] In America it
is represented by a form which seems to be regarded as specifically
distinct, but which he thinks is probably identical. If this be the case
the insect is practically cosmopolitan.
{101}III.--THE LASIOCAMPINA.
Not represented in New Zealand.