Orophora unicolor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orophora unicolor |
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Psychidae
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Orophora
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| Species: |
O. unicolor
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| Orophora unicolor (Butler, 1877)
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Orophora unicolor is a special type of moth known as a bagmoth. It belongs to the Psychidae family. This unique moth can only be found in New Zealand. It was first described by a scientist named Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877. Another scientist, Richard William Fereday, also described it that same year, not knowing it had already been named.
Contents
About the Orophora Unicolor Moth
Where It Lives and What It Eats
This moth lives in dry areas of New Zealand's South Island. It likes to eat plants like tussock grass and cassinia.
Its Amazing Bag-Case
Orophora unicolor is famous for the special case it builds. This case is covered with short pieces of tussock grass. These pieces are about 10 millimeters long. They are laid lengthwise and overlap each other. This makes the case look like a small bundle of twigs.
The case is usually about 34 millimeters long. It can even grow up to 40 millimeters. One scientist, Fereday, found these moths on a plant called matagouri (Discaria toumatou). He noticed that these were only pupal cases. This means the moths were changing inside them. He also saw that the cases did not have any matagouri plant pieces on them.
Male vs. Female Moths
Only the male Orophora unicolor moth grows into a typical moth shape. The adult male is a grey moth with a hairy body. Its wings are see-through. It has a short body and its wingspan is about 26.5 millimeters.
The female moth is very different. She never leaves her bag-case. She also does not have any wings. She stays inside her case for her whole adult life.
