Aoraia enysii explained

Aoraia enysii, also known as the forest ghost moth is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] This is the only species of the genus Aoraia that can be found in the North as well as the South Island.^[2] This species can be found from Mount Te Aroha southwards. This species was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 from a specimen obtained in the North Island by J. D. Enys.^[3]

The wingspan is 60–74 mm for males and 78–110 mm for females. Adults are on wing from February to May.^[4]

The larvae feed on leaf litter.^[5]

External links

• Observations by citizen scientists

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aoraia enysii (Butler, 1877). NZOR.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. 18 October 2016.
2. Web site: Grehan. John. Hepialidae: Aoraia Dumbleton, 1966. Johngrehan.net. John Grehan. 18 October 2016.
3. Butler. Arthur Gardiner. 1877. On two collections of heterocerous Lepidoptera from New Zealand, with descriptions of new genera and species.. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. en. 1877:May-Dec.. 379–407. Biodiversity Heritage Library.
4. Dugdale. J.S.. Hepialidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera). Fauna of New Zealand. 1994. 30. 43–44. 18 October 2016.
5. Dugdale. J. S.. 1996. Natural history and identification of litter‐feeding Lepidoptera larvae (Insecta) in beech forests, Orongorongo Valley, New Zealand, with especial reference to the diet of mice (Mus musculus). Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 26. 2. 251–274. 10.1080/03014223.1996.9517513. free.