Tmetolophota propria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tmetolophota propria |
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Tmetolophota
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T. propria
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Tmetolophota propria (Walker, 1856)
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The Tmetolophota propria is a type of moth that belongs to the Noctuidae family. These moths are special because they are only found in New Zealand. They are very common there. You can find them in grassy areas, from mountains to high alpine regions.
Discovering the Tmetolophota Propria Moth
This moth was first described in 1856 by a scientist named Francis Walker. He was an entomologist, which is someone who studies insects.
Later, in 2019, another scientist named Robert J. B. Hoare looked closely at many New Zealand moths. He is a lepidopterist, a person who studies moths and butterflies. After his research, he decided that the Tmetolophota propria moth actually fit better into a different group, the Ichneutica genus.
What Do These Moths Eat?
The young moths, called larvae (or caterpillars), have a specific diet. They like to eat different kinds of grasses. These grasses can be native to New Zealand or ones that have been brought there from other places.