Pterophorus monospilalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pterophorus monospilalis |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Pterophorus monospilalis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Pterophoridae
|
| Genus: |
Pterophorus
|
| Species: |
P. monospilalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pterophorus monospilalis (Walker, 1864)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Pterophorus monospilalis is a special kind of moth from the family Pterophoridae. It is often called a plume moth because its wings look like feathers. This moth lives only in New Zealand. You can find it on the North and South Islands, and also on Stewart Island.
Meet the Plume Moth
This moth is quite small, with a wingspan of about 21 to 23 millimeters. That's about the length of a small paperclip! Its whole body, including its head, feelers (palpi and antennae), chest (thorax), belly (abdomen), and legs, are all pure white.
Its front wings are a beautiful snow-white color. They have just a few tiny brownish-yellow spots. You might also spot a small black dot near the middle of the wing. The back wings and the tiny hairs (cilia) along the wing edges are also snow-white.
What Does It Eat?
The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, have a specific diet. They love to munch on the fresh, new tips of a plant called Pseudopanax arboreus. This plant is also known as five-finger.
Sometimes, these larvae are also found eating other plants. They have been seen on different Raukaua species. They also feed on Schefflera digitata, which is another native New Zealand plant.
Images for kids
-
The Pseudopanax arboreus plant, which is food for the moth larvae.
