Uresiphita polygonalis explained

Uresiphita polygonalis is a moth of the family Crambidae. The species was described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is found in the Pacific, including Hawaii and New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Europe and northern and southern Africa.^{[1] [2]}

The wingspan is about 27 mm. Adults range in color from green to red.

Larval food plants are mainly quinolizidine-bearing tribes of Fabaceae, (Ulex europaeus, Genista sp., Sarothamnus sp., Sophoreae sp., Sophora tomentosa, Carmichaeliae and Genisteae).^{[1] [3]} In Hawaii they have been recorded on Acacia koa and Sophora chrysophylla.

Subspecies

• Uresiphita polygonalis polygonalis
• Uresiphita polygonalis virescens (Butler, 1881) (Hawaii)
• Uresiphita polygonalis maorialis (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) (New Zealand)

Uresiphita polygonalis maorialis

This subspecies is endemic to New Zealand where it is also known as the kowhai moth.^{[4] [5]} It is sometimes referred to under the species name Uresiphita maorialis.^[6] This subspecies occurs throughout New Zealand and its larvae feed on the endemic kowhai species as well as introduced tree lupin.

External links

• Images
• Uresiphita polygonalis maorialis info

Notes and References

1. Web site: De Prins . J. . De Prins . W. . amp . 2017 . Uresiphita polygonalis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) . Afromoths . February 27, 2018.
2. https://archive.today/20130219220642/http://www.africanmoths.com/pages/CRAMBIDAE/PYRAUSTIINAE/uresiphita%20polygonalis.html africanmoths.net
3. Leen, Rosemary (1997). "Larval hosts of Uresiphita, Hübner (Crambidae)", Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 51 (2): 139-148.
4. Book: New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom Animalia: Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, Ichnofossils . Canterbury University Press. 2010. 9781877257933. Gordon. Dennis P.. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.. 458. 973607714.
5. Book: Horne . John Early ; photographs by Don . Know your New Zealand-- native insects & spiders . 2009 . New Holland . Auckland, N.Z. . 978-1869662530 . 156.
6. Web site: Kowhai moth (Uresiphita maorialis). iNaturalist NZ. en. 2019-04-03.