Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Glossata
Superfamily: Geometroidea
Family: Geometridae
Subfamily: Ennominae
Genus: Ischalis
Species: I. nelsonaria
Binominal name: Ischalis nelsonaria
Common name: Angled Fern Looper.
Ischalis nelsonaria is a member of Geometer moths family. All of the five Ischalis species are endemic to New Zealand.
Ischalis nelsonaria is widespread in the North and South Islands. They have been recorded from sea level to 950 m.a.s.l. at Holly Hut on North Egmont. Their habitat is usually native forest areas. They are usually active at night during September to April but sometimes they are active during the winter months in the North Island.
Ischalis nelsonaria have a 40 mm wingspan when the wings are fully extended. The male’s forewing ground colour is a reddish brown while the female’s forewing ground colour is a paler orange-brown speckled with darker reddish brown. The male’s antennae are simple and are not feathery like other species of male moths.
The host plants for this moth’s larvae are the fronds of tree ferns, usually Dicksonia fibrosa (wheki-ponga), Cyathea smithii (katote) and Cyathea dealbata (silver fern). They have also been recorded on the epiphytic fern Microsorum pustulatium (kowaowao).
The length of a full-grown larva is about 38 mm. They feed and palpate in a silk cocoon amongst the fronds of the host.
Mating moths.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information:https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
