New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)

"When the young larva is three or four days old a dusky band appears across the middle of each joint, and by the fifth or sixth day it spins a carpet of silk upon the leaf, and...

Owing to the apterous and completely helpless condition of the female imago, it is evident that the dispersal of this insect must take place in the larval state. Distribution is...

According to Mr. Olliff, this butterfly has a very wide geographical range, being {110}found in Java, Sumatra, Tasmania and all parts of the Australian Continent. About the year...

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are dark reddish-brown, there is a short black median streak from the base, margined above with ochreous-white; the...

The expansion of the wings is about 1¼ inches. _The fore-wings are bright orange-red_; there is a very faint transverse line near the base, darker on the costa; a dark red oblon...

This species may be readily distinguished from the other species of the genus by its small size and by the obliquity of the costal stripes. In _S. humillima_ the costal markings...

The expansion of the wings is 1-5/8 inches. The fore-wings are bright yellowish-brown, paler towards the apex; there are two broad, shaded, black stripes at the base, one near t...

"Antennæ in male ciliated with fascicles. Posterior tibia in male dilated without spurs, in female with all spurs present. Hind-wings with veins 6 and 7 sometimes stalked (varia...

The expansion of the wings is 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings are dull grey; there are two minute black marks on the costa near the base, a slender interrupted transverse line at a...

From the foregoing it may be seen that the variation in this insect is considerable. After a careful examination of a large number of specimens taken at various localities in bo...

The perfect insect appears in October and November. Although it must be common, it is rarely seen; specimens are consequently best obtained in the pupa state and reared in capti...

"The expansion of the wings of the female is 26 mm. (about 1 inch). Head, palpi, and thorax pale greyish-ochreous, somewhat mixed with yellow-greenish, and densely irrorated wit...

This insect is so extremely variable that I have given descriptions of a few of the principal varieties below; all these forms may, however, be connected by specimens exhibiting...

The expansion of the wings is about 1-1/8 inches. _The fore-wings are bright orange-yellow; the base is speckled with black and dull green scales; there is a rather indistinct b...

This is a very extensive group of the Lepidoptera, and so far as it is represented in New Zealand is equivalent to that group formerly known as the _Geometrina_, with the additi...

This caterpillar feeds on spear-grass (_Aciphylla squarrosa_), and only a single individual inhabits each clump. It devours the soft, central portions of the tussock, and its pr...

"The expansion of the wings of the male is 30 mm. (about 1¼ inches). Fore-wings moderate, termen hardly rounded; bright yellow; base of costa dark fuscous-purple; a curved row o...

Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). A carat character is used to denote superscri...

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}int...

DIVERGENCE OF CHARACTER.--As there are so many different places and conditions in the economy of nature which can be occupied by organic beings differently constituted, individu...

"This is a distinct species; but I have only seen the British Museum specimens, and am unable to say to which section it belongs, or to give a proper description. The termen of...

The expansion of the wings is 5/8 inch. _The fore-wings are rich brown with two transverse bands of darker brown_; the first near the base, rather narrow; the second near the mi...

salustius, 116 Samana, 76 SATYRIDÆ, 110 _scabra_, 96 schistaria, 52 _scriptaria_, 86 scissaria, 79 scotosialis, 36 selenophora, 35 Selidosema, 82 SELIDOSEMIDÆ, 81 _semialbata_,...

FIG. PAGE 1-9. _Hydriomena deltoidata_ varieties 47 10. " _hemizona_ 48 11. " _rixata_ 49 12. " _purpurifera_ 49 13. " _callichlora_ 50 14. " _similata_ 50 15. " _arida_ 50 16....

URTICA FEROX ("Nettle Tree"). It has prickly, light green leaves, with very long thick spines; a row of these spines is situated along the midrib of each leaf. It grows in open...