possumsend's Favorites

one of the more interesting moths during 'Can I find Meterana tartarea locally somewhere, at a place with loads of old huge Coprosma propinqua and other Coprosma, episode #2'

Though not quite sure what this one is...

A big highlight in a very long and disappointing night. Went so far as to haul the 6kg battery with AC to power a big MV bulb 3km down to the middle of the bog. It attracted 0 moths. The LepiLED I put up another km away in the forest barely brought in anything at all. Found this one on the way up into the forest. Plenty of Pseudowintera

ID based on likeness to this one: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/110149263

Looks like the female of Asaphodes ida! This site is in the same catchment as the type locality (Eweburn Stream, Ida Range). Caught in my latest iteration of my homemade heath moth trap along with 92 other moths in a 3-hour stint. See photos 5-6 of trap. I compared the moth trap (powered by 2 x 10 watt UV lights) to my 38 watt UV light on a white sheet. Both in similar habitat but 100 metres apart - just out of interest and because I wanted some reassurance that the trap worked OK. Rough results scribbles on photo 7. Trap seems to preform pretty well.

There doesn't seem to be any basis asides from DNA for separating the three proposed species in this area, nor indications as to whether they abut or cline into each other. All three have been recorded very near by so I guess this could be any one of them, or some combination.

In a small swamp in wetland/scrub country, Lake Ohia district. Quite some distance inland. Very much at home in the water. It appeared to be a gravid female who had lost her tail at some point. The last photo best shows the natural colouration to the naked eye. Species level ID would be much appreciated if possible, thank you. Apologies photos aren’t great quality, they are stills from a video showing how she moves through the water.

The highlight of my night at Trotter's Gorge!!! Was delighted. A rare species I was hoping would turn up after I noted a prior record from Brian Patrick and I also found the host plant mountain carrot (Gingidia montana) growing in the area. Two of them actually came to light and were captured but I only got one photo of the underside of the second individual (last image) before accidentally setting it free prior to its photo session! Never mind, delighted with the first one!

Colour, pattern, distribution, and time of year (Sep-Nov) seem to be correct for this. Only other place I've seen them so far is Stewart Island. Night at McLean Falls. Unfortunately, still without a DSLR so had to cell phone pic it. Trying to get the best out of the cell phone photos is a bit like polishing a turd! Never mind, still some nice moths! Hope the photos are sufficient for IDs.

X marks the spot! The highlight of the night was seeing this beautiful moth arrive 2.5 hours after the lights were turned on (lights on at 6 pm, moth arrived at about 8:30 pm). I didn't know they would be at this site and wasn't expecting them to be out at this time of year either. There must be some Streblus heterophyllus in the bush. Several photos of the moth and a few of my setup and the view at the end. Great spot! Yay!!! That is Meterana species number 22 for me (incl. the undescribed 'Urtica' one).

A tricky Ipana or Declana, so I was unsure. Thoughts? Came to light at about 3-4 degrees! A bit more background: I went to a public talk on lizards and invertebrates by Samuel Purdie in Cromwell and on my way through the Cromwell Gorge at 6 pm stopped and put out 2 UV lights (one as part of a heath trap and one on a white sheet). The two lights were about 30 metres apart. The habitat was mostly big old Olearia hectori shrubs - as I was hoping to maybe attract in a Meterana grandiosa. I didn't have high hopes of anything though, as it was only 3-4 degrees. However I thought I may as well let the lights do their thing whilst I went and listened to the talk. Came back to check the lights at about 9:30 pm and the Declana was the only moth that braved the cold conditions. Was sitting on the sheet. Other plants apart from the Olearia hectori was basically just matagouri, Coprosma propinqua, sweet briar rose, maybe some Melicytus alpinus, bush laywer, Muehlenbeckia complexa, native brooms, and Dracophyllum longifolium in the wider area.

Went to Dansey's Pass to look for this moth and was delighted to find one resting on a snow tussock at night near some areas of Sphagnum moss. Discovered by Brian Patrick near Dansey's Pass in 1979. @butterfly4

Another night of Fiordland moths. One more to go after this. I did a lot of mothing there this January whilst in the area working on Awakopaka skink, but I won't be back to Fiordland until March. It will be interesting to see the change in species composition between January and March.

Lenis is the local species to this area I think, having recorded it with possumsend last summer, although rufivena could be a chance if it is not too far north for them (close to Mackenzie Country border).
Mothing adventure with kids in tow. East Branch Manuherikia River about 860 metres a.s.l. Olearia bullata, Olearia odorata, and mixed sub-alpine shrubland, wetland, and tussock grassland.

Pattern matches very well! I ruled out Hydriomena based on pectinations and the pattern doesn't match with Austrocidaria cedrinodes. Discovered at Eweburn Stream, Ida Range which is not too far from here. Also @butterfly4 has records from further downstream along the Manuherikia River.

Mothing adventure with kids in tow. East Branch Manuherikia River about 860 metres a.s.l. Olearia bullata, Olearia odorata, and mixed sub-alpine shrubland, wetland, and tussock grassland.

Pattern matches very well with the straight-ish lines across the forewings and thickish lighter coloured band below that. Also, they are known from the wider area.
Mothing adventure with kids in tow. East Branch Manuherikia River about 860 metres a.s.l. Olearia bullata, Olearia odorata, and mixed sub-alpine shrubland, wetland, and tussock grassland.