Dark Coprosma Carpet
Austrocidaria similata
The larvae are known as inchworms, moving with a distinctive looping gait by bringing their back legs to meet their front ones.
- Scientific name
- Austrocidaria similata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Geometridae › Austrocidaria
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Forest margins, scrublands, and urban gardens containing host plants.
- Diet
- Larvae consume Coprosma leaves; adults feed on nectar from various native flowers.
- Range
- New Zealand
- Size
- Wingspan of 25 to 35 millimeters.
- Lifespan
- Approximately 1 year including metamorphosis; adults live 1 to 3 weeks.
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, light pollution, and predation by invasive wasps and spiders.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. If found indoors, gently relocate outside using a container. Avoid touching wings as scales are fragile. Safe to observe from any distance.
Austrocidaria similata is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It endemic to New Zealand and is found on the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Snares Islands, the Chatham Islands and mainland New Zealand, Stewart Island and Codfish Island. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 using a specimen obtained by William Colenso.
Photo: Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd., CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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