Tuesday, August 10, 2021

PURIRI MOTH

At the weekend, when on our regular short walk around the streets from home we came across this Puriri Moth.  It was lying on the pavement and we shifted it to a safer place.


 

It is New Zealand's largest moth and this specimen would have been over 2 inches long but they get larger than that.  They are nocturnal forest dwellers.

The caterpillar stage can last up to six years but the moths last only a couple of days as they have no mouthparts and cannot feed.

9 comments:

  1. We used to have a huge moth here, about the size of your hand, that fed on the nectar found in Tobacco flowers. Now that Tobacco is no longer grown, the moths have disappeared. Sad.

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  2. What a sad short life, Bobby did so much better as did our Moxie. This was maybe a chance in a million for you to see it there.

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    1. Last time I saw one was on my drive before I moved here but I did have a huge Puriri at the bottom of the garden

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  3. Sometimes it's better to crawl around in the forest unnoticed than it is to fly on spectacular wings.

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    1. They are, in my mind, quite spectacular. A very heavy sturdy moth.

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  4. Beautiful creature, you were lucky to spot it. Jean. x

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    1. If I hadn't seen it it would most likely have been trodden on which would have been a shame even though they have such a short life

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  5. What a thrill to see, I'm glad you moved it to a safer place. I have only seen them once, years ago, when a lot hatched out at the same time. Never seen another one again.

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