Nyctemera annulata
| Nyctemera annulata | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Arctiidae |
| Genus: | Nyctemera |
| Species: | N. annulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Nyctemera annulata Boisduval, 1832 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Nyctemera annulata, commonly known as the Magpie Moth, is a moth of the Arctiidae family. It is endemic to New Zealand. The subspecies N. annulata antipodea is found on New Zealand's Antipodes Islands.
Its liking for the introduced ragwort causes its caterpillars to be sometimes misidentified as those of the Cinnabar moth which was introduced as a biological control for ragwort. The magpie moth’s ‘woolly bear’ caterpillars are predominantly black with yellowish-orange stripes running along the length of their bodies and have long black bristles, whereas by contrast cinnabar caterpillars have smooth bodies and alternating yellow- and black-coloured rings around their bodies.[1]
Nyctemera annulata is closely related to Nyctemera amica, which also occurs in New Zealand. The two species are able to interbreed.
The wingspan is about 40 mm. It is a day-flying species.
The larvae feed on Ragwort, rangiora, cineraria, groundsel.
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nyctemera annulata. |
Subspecies
- Nyctemera annulata annulata (New Zealand)
- Nyctemera annulata antipodea (Antipodes Islands)