Micro-Moths of New Zealand's Kauri Kingdom
This guide aims to illustrate the diverse range of micro-moths recorded from New Zealand's upper North Island.
To identify a particular species select key characteristics from the menu on the left. Adding more features narrows the search. Alternatively, if you're sure of its taxonomic ...more ↓
Ecclitica torogramma
Ecclitica torogramma was named by Meyrick in 1923 (Cacoecia). It is a species of moth of the Tortricidae family and is a New Zealand endemic. Adults may be found from September to February in native forest. They can sometimes be disturbed from foliage of silver fern by day; they also fly at night and come to light in small numbers.
Codling Moth
The Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) is a member of the family Tortricidae. The species was named by Linnaeus way back in 1759 (Phalaena Tortrix) and is adventive to New Zealand, probably accidentally introduced. Adults are the wing from November to March and can be found in and around orchards, they are attracted to artificial light.
Oriental Fruit Moth
Grapholita molesta was named by Busck in Quaintance & Wood in 1916. It is a moth of the Tortricidae family. Adults can be found all year round. They are attracted to light.
Protithona fugitivana
Protithona fugitivana was named by Meyrick in 1882. It is a species of moth of the Tortricidae family and is endemic to New Zealand. Associated with wetlands as the adults can be very common where the Azolla fern is present.
Glaucocharis bipunctella
Glaucocharis bipunctella was named by Walker in 1866 (Eromene). It is a member of the Crambidae family and a New Zealand endemic. Native forest; shrubland and wasteground. Adults are on the wing from October to January. They fly at night and come to light.
Glaucocharis metallifera
Glaucocharis metallifera (Butler, 1877). Endemic.
One of the larger members of the genus with a forewing length of 8 to 10 mm.
Glaucocharis microdora
Glaucocharis microdora (Meyrick, 1905). F.L. 3.5 - 4.5 mm. Endemic.
As its name suggests, the smallest member of the group.
Oak Leafminer
The Oak Leafminer (Phyllonorycter messaniella) is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. Adults can be found throughout the year in a number of generations.
Diamondback Moth
Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758). Adventive.
The small, grayish-brown moth sometimes has a cream-colored band that forms a diamond along its back.
Glyphipterix tungella
Glyphipterix tungella was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. It belongs to the family Glyphipterigidae and is endemic to New Zealand. Forest clearings; shrubland; sheltered grassy areas. Adults are on the wing from October to March. They fly by day visiting flowers and can be collected using a sweep net through grassy vegetation. ...more ↓
Glyphipterix dichorda
Glyphipterix dichorda (Meyrick, 1911). Endemic.
G. dichorda is a larger, darker, much smarter-looking species than tungella, with distinctly broader hindwings. It has the second dorsal streak on the forewing distinctly longer than the first while in tungella these streaks are of equal length.
Cocksfoot Moth
Glyphipterix simpliciella is a species of moth of the family Glyphipterigidae. They fly in the sunshine and especially feed on nectar of buttercup (Ranunculus species), Crataegus monogyna, Euphorbia esula, and of various Apiaceae species (especially Leucanthemum vulgare) These small moths mainly inhabit flower meadows, especially with buttercup and ...more ↓
Citrus Flower Moth
Prays nephelomima, is a moth of the family Praydidae. Adults can be found from December to April gardens, parks and orchards.
Broom Twig Miner
Leucoptera spartifoliella is a species of moth in family Lyonetiidae. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius).
Orange Fruit Borer
Isotenes miserana is a species of moth of the Tortricidae family and is adventive to New Zealand. This species can be found throughout the year across the central regions of the north island.
Vinicia
This unnamed species belongs to the family Pyralidae. Adults have been observed in saltmarshes consisting mainly of Samolus repens from November to February.
Meal Moth
Pyralis farinalis was named by Linnaeus in 1758. It is a cosmopolitan moth of the family Pyralidae. Houses; warehouses; outhouses; especially chicken sheds. Adults may be found from September to April, with the ocassional mid-winter record. They usually frequent dark corners by day, resting on walls and scuttling away if disturbed. They fly at night and sometimes come to ...more ↓
Orthenches semifasciata
Orthenches semifasciata was named by Philpott in 1930. It is a moth of the family Plutellidae and is endemic to New Zealand. Adults are on the wing in native forest in early Summer. They fly at night and are attracted to light.
Glyphipterix leptosema
Glyphipterix leptosema is a species of sedge moth. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1888 and is endemic to New Zealand. It is reasonably common in the forest of the North Island during the summer.
Anisoplaca achyrota
Anisoplaca achyrota is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Meyrick in 1886. Adults are on the wing from January to May across the north island.
Norfolk Island Hibiscus Moth
Anisoplaca cosmia is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by John David Bradley in 1956 and is adventive to New Zealand.
Anisoplaca ptyoptera
Anisoplaca ptyoptera is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 and is endemic to New Zealand. Adult moths are on the wing from October until May with peak emergence occurring in January. The adult moths come in two size classes and should the size of the female be in the larger class fecundity is improved.
Gymnobathra sarcoxantha
Gymnobathra sarcoxantha was named by Meyrick in 1883. It belongs to the family Xyloryctidae and is endemic to New Zealand. The adult insect is on the wing from October to April but is sparsely distributed in the north island.
Bilobata subsecivella
Bilobata subsecivella is a moth in the Gelechiidae family. It was described by Zeller in 1852. Adults are on the wing from December to March.
Scoparia ergatis
Scoparia ergatis was named by Meyrick in 1884. It belongs to the family Crambidae and is endemic to New Zealand.
Harmologa sisyrana
Harmologa sisyrana was named by Meyrick in 1882. It is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae and is endemic to New Zealand. Adults can be found in dry, coastal areas.
Maidenhair Fern Moth
Musotima aduncalis is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Zelleria
Zelleria is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae. The species Z. porphyraula can be found in native forest with adults are on the wing from October to April. They fly at night and are attracted to light.
Tomato Stemborer
Symmetrischema tangolias is a moth of the Gelechiidae family. It is native to South America, but has become a pest worldwide. Records include North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Leptocroca sanguinolenta
Leptocroca sanguinolenta is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is found in New South Wales (Australia) and New Zealand where it is on the wing during winter.
Anarsia dryinopa
Anarsia dryinopa (Bertram, 1897). Adventive.
In 2010 Robert Hoare synonymised Izatha griseata with this species.
Elachista archaeonoma
Elachista archaeonoma is a species of moth in the family Elachistidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Epiphthora melanombra
Epiphthora melanombra is a moth of the Gelechiidae family. It was described by Meyrick in 1888 and is endemic to New Zealand.
Epiphthora nivea
Epiphthora nivea is a moth of the Gelechiidae family. It was described by Philpott in 1930. It is found in New Zealand, where it has only been recorded from the Waitakere Ranges.
Helcystogramma phryganitis
Helcystogramma phryganitis is a moth in the Gelechiidae family. It was described by Meyrick in 1911. It is found in Sri Lanka.
Izatha prasophyta
Izatha prasophyta is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from the North Island, except Hawkes Bay or the Wairarapa.
Monochroa leptocrossa
Monochroa leptocrossa is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Meyrick in 1926. It is found in Japan (Hokkaido) and the Russian Far East.
Potato Tuber Moth
Phthorimaea operculella, also known as the potato tuber moth or tobacco splitworm, is a major pest on potatoes in New Zealand and South Africa. It has a worldwide distribution.
Scieropepla typhicola
Scieropepla typhicola is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It was described by Meyrick in 1885.
Barea codrella
The barea moth (Barea codrella) is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is an adventive species in New Zealand.
Izatha taingo
Izatha taingo (Māori name pepepepe tāingo o Ngāti Kuri) is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation. It is only known from the Aupouri Peninsula of Northland.
Wattle gall miner
Polysoma eumetalla is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is known from the Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria and from New Zealand.
Eumetriochroa panacicorticis
Eumetriochroa panacicorticis was first mane by Watt (Acrocercops) in 1920. It belongs to the leaf-mining family Gracillariidae.
Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
Spoladea recurvalis, sometimes known by the common name Beet Webworm Moth or Hawaiian Beet Webworm, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is found worldwide, but mainly in the tropics.
Grass Webworm Moth
Herpetogramma licarsisalis, the grass webworm or tropical grass webworm, is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is native to most of the old world tropics, including New Zealand, Hong Kong and Queensland. It is an introduced species in many other parts of the world, including Hawaii and the Canary Islands.
Mediterranean Flour Moth
The Mediterranean flour moth or mill moth (Ephestia kuehniella) is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is a common pest of cereal grains, especially flour. This moth is found throughout the world, especially in countries with temperate climates. It prefers warm temperatures for more rapid development, but it can survive a wide range of temperatures.
Tree Lucerne Moth
The Tree Lucerne Moth (Uresiphita ornithopteralis) is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Eudonia cataxesta
Eudonia cataxesta is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 and is endemic to New Zealand.
Antiscopa acompa
Antiscopa acompa (Meyrick, 1884). Endemic. Local.
This species is very similar in appearance to A. epicomia but can be distinguished as A. acompa has a thicker antemedian (dark) forewing line
Eudonia legnota
Eudonia legnota is a moth in the Crambidae family. This species was named by Edward Meyrick in 1884. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Australian maidenhair fern moth
Musotima ochropteralis is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is known from all of Australia.
Uresiphita polygonalis
Uresiphita polygonalis is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in the Pacific, including Hawaii and New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Europe and northern & southern Africa
Eudonia feredayi
Eudonia feredayi is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Henry Guard Knaggs in 1867. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
