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Project Noah Nature School
Dasypodia cymatodes
Large Owlet moth with a wingspan of about 80mm. A mix of rich browns with a purplish hue on dorsal surface. A line of small white dots along the trailing edge of both wings and a wavy or zigzag pattern through the whole central portion of both wings. Diagnostic blueish "owl eye" spot on both fore wings with chestnut border, not unlike the "eyes" in male peacock tail feathers.
From eastern Australia, these large moths are regular visitors to New Zealand shores and have now successfully self introduced. Found right over the North Island of NZ down to the top of the South Island. (There is another similar species D. selenophora that has colonized the cooler areas of the S. Island.) The caterpillars eat the leaves of wattle trees that have been used as a forestry resource which has aided colonization in NZ but early Maori have noted the presence of these moths before that.
The Maori name is pepe kehue or pepe atua. These names refer to the Maori belief that the appearance of these moths was related to the returning spirits of their ancestors. An attractive moth when studied closely. This individual was attracted to night lights.
Spotted on Feb 26, 2016
Submitted on Feb 26, 2016
1 Comment
Thank you Polilla. It always amazes me about the amount of human culture that is associated with so many of the world's creatures esp the small, plain looking ones. But then I guess we are all connected.