Ichneutica moderata

This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865 using specimens collected in Nelson by Mr T. R. Oxley.[3][2] Walker was unsure of the genus and so named the species Agrotis? moderata.[3] The lectotype specimen is held by the Natural History Museum, London.[4] Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer also described this species, thinking it new, in 1875 and named it Mamestra griseipennis.[5] This name was synonymised with Aletia moderata by J. S. Dugdale in 1988.[4] In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae.[2] During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Aletia was subsumed into that genus as a synonym.[2] As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica moderata.[2]

Ichneutica moderata showing the diagnostic creamy white fringe on the hindwings.

Walker described this species as follows:

Male and female. Dark cinereous, cinereous beneath. Palpi slightly ascending, extending a little beyond the head ; second joint densely pilose ; third elongate-conical, not more than one-third of the length of the second. Antennae of the male pubescent, setulose. Abdomen of the male extending rather beyond the hind wings; apical tuft subquadrate. Fore wings with four irregular lines composed of black lunules; first and second lines on the inner side of a diffuse blackish band; third and fourth beyond the band, undulating, approximate to each other ; submarginal line cinereous, dentate, continued in the male to the exterior border; marginal lunules black. Hind wings brown ; fringe pale cinereous. Length of the body 8 — 9 lines ; of the wings 19 — 20 lines.[3]

The adult male of the species has a wingspan of between 33 and 38 mm, the female has a wingspan of between 36 and 43 mm.[2] This species is nondescript but can be distinguished from other similar appearing species as both the male and female have unmarked creamy white fringes on their hindwings.[2]

Hudson described the larvae of the species as follows:

The length of the full-grown larva is about 1+3⁄8 (35 mm.), stout, cylindrical, slightly tapering at each end; back pale dull reddish; sides dull greenish, speckled and suffused with blackish; underside clear, pale, dull green. Head ochreous-brown, with two conspicuous blackish-brown stripes; thoracic segments pale greenish-brown; second segment with elongate-oval blackish-brown horny dorsal plate; other thoracic segments with rudimentary dorsal plates. General surface somewhat wrinkled. A conspicuous series of trapezoidal black marks on the back of segments 5-11, faintly posteriorly; segments 12 and 13 darker on back; a narrow, pale reddish dorsal line; a double series of highly polished warts on each abdominal segment, except the last, and a single series on each thoracic segment. Spiracles black.[6]

This species is found throughout New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands, with the only exception being the northern part of the North Island, that is Bay of Plenty north.[2]

I. moderata prefers open habitats in the montane to lowlands zones.[2]

Adults of this species are on the wing from October to April.[2]

Raoulia australis

The larvae of this species likely feed on various kinds of low growing herbaceous plants.[2] However I. moderata larvae is recorded as being associated with Raoulia particularly the species R. australis, R. subulata and R. beauverdii as well as Crassula manaia.[2] Larvae have also been reared on Bellis perennis.[2] Larvae create tunnels lined with silk amongst the roots of the species' host plants.[2] Pupa are enclosed in an insubstantial and easily damaged silken cocoon amongst the roots.[6]