Apoctena persecta facts for kids

Apoctena persecta is a small moth that lives only in New Zealand. You can find it specifically on the South Island. It belongs to a group of moths called the Tortricidae family.

Discovering the Apoctena Persecta Moth

This section will tell you more about this interesting moth. We will explore where it lives and what it looks like. You will also learn about what its young ones eat.

Home Sweet Home: New Zealand's South Island

This special moth, Apoctena persecta, is unique to New Zealand. It makes its home only on the South Island. This means you won't find it flying anywhere else in the world!

What Does the Apoctena Persecta Moth Look Like?

Both male and female Apoctena persecta moths are quite small. Their wingspan (the distance from one wingtip to the other when spread out) is about 18 to 19 millimeters. That's less than an inch!

Their front wings, called forewings, are a pale, yellowish-white color. They have tiny light brown speckles. In male moths, the back part of the forewings might look a bit light brownish between the veins. The back wings, called hindwings, are a plain whitish color.

Meet the semicocta Variety

There is a special type of Apoctena persecta moth known as semicocta. Its forewings are also yellowish-white. However, the front half of these wings often has a brownish-yellow tint. The hindwings of this variety are also whitish, just like the regular moths.

What Do Baby Moths Eat?

The young moths, which are called larvae (or caterpillars), have a specific diet. They like to eat plants from the Coprosma family. These plants are common shrubs and small trees found in New Zealand.