Heterocrossa canescens facts for kids

Heterocrossa canescens is a small moth that belongs to the family Carposinidae. This special moth is found only in New Zealand, meaning it is endemic to that country.

How Scientists Named This Moth

This moth was first discovered and described in 1930 by a scientist named Alfred Philpott. He found it in February at a place called Governor's Bush, near Mount Cook. When he first described it, he gave it the name Carposina canescens.

Later, in 1939, another scientist, George Hudson, wrote about this moth in his book, A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand. He also used the name Carposina canescens.

However, in 1978, Elwood Zimmerman suggested that this moth, and others like it, should be in a different group. He noticed that their body parts were quite unique. Because of this, John S. Dugdale later moved this moth into a new group, or genus, called Heterocrossa.

The very first specimen of this moth that was used to describe the species, called the holotype, is kept safe at the Canterbury Museum.

What This Moth Looks Like

This moth is quite small, measuring about 15 to 17 millimeters across its wings. Its head, mouthparts (palpi), and body (thorax) are a whitish-grey color. The antennae are grey, and the male moth has tiny hairs on its antennae that are about four times as long as the antennae are wide. The lower part of its body (abdomen) is a whitish-yellow color.

The front and middle legs of the moth are dark grey, with lighter yellow-brown rings around the feet. The back legs are a light yellow-white.

The front wings are mostly grey, with a faint greenish tint. They have a curved front edge and a rounded tip. Near the base of the wing, there's a black area that reaches about halfway across. There are also five or six black spots along the front edge of the wing. You might see a slanted black line of raised scales below the first spot, outlined with yellow-brown and white. The wing also has some ring-like spots and scattered blackish and yellow-brown scales. Near the edge of the wing, there's a faint, broken blackish band, and the very edge is covered with many blackish scales. The fringes (hairs) along the edge of the wing are a dark grey mixed with white.

The hindwings (back wings) are a shiny grey. In male moths, there's a yellow-brown area along the front edge of the hindwing, from the base to about halfway. The fringes of the hindwings are a yellow-white color.

Where This Moth Lives

As mentioned, Heterocrossa canescens is found only in New Zealand. Besides the place where it was first discovered (Governor's Bush near Mount Cook), this moth has also been found where the Bealey and Waimakariri Rivers meet.

Life Cycle and Behavior

Adult moths of this species can be seen flying around during certain times of the year. They are active in November and then again from January to March.

What the Caterpillars Eat

The young moths, which are called larvae or caterpillars, like to eat the fruits and flowers of plants from the Gaultheria group.

Images for kids

• 

  Illustration of species by George Hudson.

• 

  Governors Bush, the type locality of H. canescens.

• 

  Flowers of Gaultheria crassa, a likely host plant of the larvae of H. canescens.