Up here for the NZPCN conference, having finished a Lichens and Bryophytes workshop in the morning, I did a circuit of Mount Parihaka, topically, chasing a prior observation of Sabatinca demissa: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/145655247 . Instead, I found two different Sabatinca species, with this one particularly being new for me and managing to get as good of a photo of it as I could.
Drawn to light. A puzzle. If I found this on the Milford Road (where, like here, there is no record of celery pine) I would have no hesitation in calling it P. monarcha, but there are no records of this moth on the East Coast South of Christchurch.
Nine Meterana exquisita in one night! (6 at this site, 3 at the upper site 1.5 km away). Lights set up at a couple of locations along the Danseys Pass road. The usual suspects. Lots of Orophora unicolor and nine Meterana exquisita (six at the lower site, 3 at the upper site).
Straight from camera upload, will add more later. Kinda amazing.
I note @Jacobl 's comments about rainy weather (https://inaturalist.nz/observations/145884180) - this was on an amazing warm humid night, followed by torrential rain starting a few hours later (and there's a red warning for 600-800mm rain coming shortly!)
Got-em. Saw eight in total. A little 20km walk round trip from Woodville.
Excellent spot with numerous decent Olearia virgata, which are on a steep slope and not in water, muddy seepage, bog etc.
And this time the conditions were good. Light to no winds in the valleys, high cloud which cleared entirely, relatively warm night (no gloves needed!)
Will add more shots when I get home.
Rockhopper skink (Oligosoma eludens). Known to hop between rocks, or between shrubs and rocks, when approached, hence the name. Known from between 1,300-1,700 metres across 3 mountain ranges in Oteake Conservation Park, where it is patchily distributed. Particular affinity with Dracophyllum islands amongst scree.
Amazing still night in Paparoa Range where I saw roroa / Great Spotted Kiwi, and also a whole lotta moths. Extremely pleased this one showed up.
Appears to match the photograph of this one very closely! Upper Siberia Stream catchment, north of Mount Alba, Mt Aspiring National Park. Moths either drawn to light or caught and photographed by day.
At a complete loss on this one and may well have the wrong family.... day flying near cliffs at about 1,100 metres. Upper Siberia Stream catchment, north of Mount Alba, Mt Aspiring National Park. Moths either drawn to light or caught and photographed by day.
Assisting @Carey-Knox-Southern-Scales on moth surveys. 20ha Matai dominated rich forest remnant surrounded by pasture/tussock/sparse shrublands. Various light/sheet combinations set up on forest edge.
Following the discovery of a Streblus Fruit Moth on the previous night we explored the forest more thoroughly the following day and discovered several groves of Streblus. We set a number of lights/sheets specifically targeting these trees and this moth. With success, probably 7 individuals came to light. 4 further individuals of this very variable moth are recorded.
Assisting @Carey-Knox-Southern-Scales on moth surveys. We had researched the local moth fauna before the trip and noticed a nearby observation by Alice Shanks of Pseudcoremia melinata - see here https://inaturalist.nz/observations/9122199 We therefore scouted the area and discovered a large area of Carmichaelia (the moth's host plant) closeby. Carey set up a light to specifically target this species. Success! 4 moths came to light, 3 males and a female. The following night a 5th moth came to a Heath light trap set a couple of hundred metres further away. This is the moth that came to a 9W flourescent actinic Heath Moth Trap.
Assisting @Carey-Knox-Southern-Scales on moth surveys. Day survey. Up to 900m asl.
Assisting @Carey-Knox-Southern-Scales on moth surveys. Evening/Night 1. Multiple lights/sheets set up in a steep gully of native bush. Undergrowth dominated by ongaonga. Ribbonwood/lacebark dominant forest trees, some kowhai and totara etc. Quite battered but possibly P. urticae given proximity of tree nettle.
To continue confusing myself (following this observation: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/197283813), this seems like G. calliploca or G. primiera, except it has a long dark marking at 1/2 down the wing, a dark patch 45° in from that, and a notable wide dark fringe at the end of the wing.
This one just recently from @carey-knox-southern-scales has the fringe and the dark patch on the inner wing, but not the most obvious black streak, although it's also much more peppered with dark scales: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/196478996
I'm wondering if both of these are Gymnobathra inaequata, as this seems to be a better fit.
Species? An undescribed one perhaps? Mature forest remnant on the Southland Plains. Busy night with a good diversity of moths.
I've been staring at type photos, Larger Moths, and Hudson paintings.
The closest thing seems to be Eudonia periphanes....if all the details were to varying degrees wrong....wrong, like the colour (this is black and cream, without the brown), the cream lines at the shoulder are straight and pronounced (as opposed to barely there), the two spots at 2/3rds are extremely pronounced with a black margin (as opposed to non-existent to subtle), the cream line at 1/3 is on a notable sharper angle, etc.
It seems this is considered a morph of Eudonia periphanes as @ryan_nz has one: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/100926477 @nhudson @dr_robert
Day flying in regen kanuka dominated forest, with others, on a very hot afternoon. 28 degrees, humid. A couple of weeks later than usual, probably because of the cool damp summer (until today) on the Otago Peninsula. @carey-knox-southern-scales - they are here now!
Moths galore from a big night at Trotter's Gorge. Moths either drawn to light or netted in the bush.
Moth survey, Ewe Range about 1600m asl with @Carey-knox-southern-scales Breezy, 9 degrees dropping to 5 ish. Multiple lights deployed in one area. Several specimens of this moth were seen flying over the tussock in late evening. It also came to the lights.
Moth survey, Ewe Range about 1600m asl with @Carey-knox-southern-scales Breezy, 10 degrees ish, day search.
Day flying over scree and rock fields at 1600m asl. Very fast. 2 specimens shown, highly reflective from certain camera angles. Gelophaula? Tauroscopa?
Tricky, but I thought it matched the description. Host is Carmichaelia, as it is for Samana acutata which was recorded at the same location. A night mothing up on the Wye Creek track overlooking mixed forest and shrubland.
fun night alone at Upper Gridiron Hut, sheltered from the rain by the huge rock slab. Surprisingly good moths just at the hut, but started running out of battery for headtorches.
fun night alone at Upper Gridiron Hut, sheltered from the rain by the huge rock slab. Surprisingly good moths just at the hut, but started running out of battery for headtorches.
Moth survey, Ewe Range with @Carey-knox-southern-scales At about 1500m asl, cold, 7 or 8 degrees with a strong Southerly. Searching alpine wetlands for day flying moths. Forewing about 4 or 5mm.
Absolute stunner!!! Assume this is correct as can't think what else it could be? Why are so many moths so much more colourful in Fiordland? A night at Mirror Lakes, Eglinton Valley, Fiordland 9th Nov 2023
A very small alpine moth probably 4 mm in body length on car window.
Sorry for the poor quality image but it was always moving.
Hikaroroa/Mt Watkin Reserve. Moth survey 2. With @carey-knox-southern-scales. Afternoon. Flushed out of a large patch of Fuchsia perscandens, along with others. The second of 2 caught. Photographed under glass. A highlight.
On house wall at night. See here https://inaturalist.nz/observations/60795512
Drawn to light. 12c, cloudy, calm. A lovely surprise! Not recorded from here before, planting the kowhai is paying off.
On tour. 10W UV LED light.
On tour. 10W UV LED light.
On tour. 10W UV LED light.
Day-flying. Landed on window.
Attracted to lights at night.
Attracted to lights at night.
Possibly dead. Found under light at night.
Attracted to lights at night.
Attracted to light at night.
Attracted to lights at night.
Attracted to light at night.
Attracted to lights at night.
Attracted to lights at night.
Found resting on table in house. Residential zone.
Attracted to lights at night.
Photographed in situ on short alpine vegetation at night.
Asaphodes ida
Holotype
Collected: 19 February 1922
Collected by: W. G. Howes
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections-research/collections/record/am_naturalsciences-object-181379
A number of these vegetable caterpillars have been found by Alf Webb in Broad Bay - see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/97616596
This observation is concerned with which moth is involved. I have previously observed Aoraia rufivena in the neighbourhood - see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/73785349 and wonder if this might be the moth. These vegetable caterpillars are being found in regenerating forest around 100 years old. Canopy comprises of Putaputaweta, Red Mapou, Narrow Leaved Lacebark, Mahoe and Tarata. Sparse understory of assorted ferns and coprosma.
Drawn to light. Bit of a long shot. The reniform seems too strong for I. moderata and it lacks the dark clouds along the forewing subterminal line to be I. virescens.
At approx 1500m asl, with
@carey-knox-southern-scales. Drawn to light. Quite common, several appearing each night.
At approx 1500m asl, with
@carey-knox-southern-scales. Drawn to light. This looks like Hydriomena hemizona but I notice that it has antenna pectinations, unlike any of the other records of H. hemizona. 3 or 4 of these came to light.
At approx 1500m asl, with
@carey-knox-southern-scales. Drawn to light. Long wings , striping at subterminal line and lack of contrasting collar suggest comma rather than tetronycha.
At approx 1500m asl, with
@carey-knox-southern-scales. Drawn to light. Several of these appeared each night. Robert Hoare suggests "A. sp. near aphelias".
In the dunes
First time I have seen this genus in Dunedin district.
Drawn to light. A first for here and currently the most Southerly observation of this species on iNat.
Oteake Conservation Park. Scree/talus slope at about 1500m asl. Large congregations (leks?) of these flies found in certain areas of the slope. There appeared to be some correlation between these congregations and the prevalence of the as yet undescribed Alpine Rock Skink - see here https://inaturalist.nz/observations/19700426. @steve_kerr @carey-knox-southern-scales @samtheanimalman @tonyjewell
Feeding on Epilobium flowers by vehicle track high on Mt Dobson skifield: 1730-1800m in stony areas with abundant bidibid
I think. Pale and unfringed hindwing discounts I. moderata, yellow butt tuft discounts I. sistens. Drawn to light. A bit battered and very fidgetty.
Native mixed podocarp / broadleaf forest, on a leaf at night.
https://oldwww.landcareresearch.co.nz/__data/assets/image/0019/11674/pasiphila_malachita_f2.jpg
the strong pattern and the blue-green scales are what do it for me
Fieldwork with @ lloyd_esler, @ predomalpha and @ fiestykakapo.
Attracted to lights at night.
Overlays in an image editor look better for this than I. lithias which seemed like the other candidate.
non-comprehensive Ben Lomond summit bioblitz.
This is the aforementioned moth hunting fly @nhudson @carey-knox-southern-scales : https://inaturalist.nz/observations/145470965 - they were really going for the Tawhitia glaucophanes, but pictured here having pinned down something smaller
Apologies if ID wrong while trying to use phone on a hummock above Luxmore Hut. One more camera via phone observation.
I finally got around to checking out the sole patch of Helichrysum lanceolatum at Possums' End. About 6 bushes perched precariously on the edge of a rock face, very exposed to the Northerly wind, about 12m long by 1m wide. I was very pleasantly surprised when several moths took to the air when I gave the shrubs a good rattle. 2 were photographed and uploaded as individual observations, before returning them to their homes. A nice start to 2023.
I finally got around to checking out the sole patch of Helichrysum lanceolatum at Possums' End. About 6 bushes perched precariously on the edge of a rock face, very exposed to the Northerly wind, about 12m long by 1m wide. I was very pleasantly surprised when several moths took to the air when I gave the shrubs a good rattle. 2 were photographed and uploaded as individual observations, before returning them to their homes. A nice start to 2023.
Loads of these at the summit but a an effort to get close enough to them since they're very reactive to movement.
Additionally, some sort of fly was trying to snatch them when they landed. The fly was smaller than these, but I did get a shot of one grabbing and pinning down a Sod Webworm.
Some observations straight from camera via phone
Drawn to light. A nice surprise this far south on a blustery night. A particularly striking moth if you get the flash and camera angle right.
More festive break mothing. This time with @christopherstephens and @samtheanimalman. Very windy, 16 degrees. Drawn to light. First obs this season, finally turned up at 2am.
Some festive mothing with @carey-knox-southern-scales. 14 degrees, very still and humid. From the top of Dicksons Hill. Drawn to light. A new moth for me.
Some festive mothing with @carey-knox-southern-scales. 14 degrees, very still and humid. From the top of Dicksons Hill. Drawn to light. Not 100% sure on ID, but probably another new moth for this locale.