Part 28

(Dasypodia selenophora, Gn., Noct. vii. 175; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 38.)

(Plate VI., fig. 4.)

This large and very handsome insect has occurred at Auckland, Napier, and Wellington in the North Island, and at Nelson, Richmond, and Christchurch, in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is about 3 inches. The fore-wings are very rich deep brown; there are two faint jagged transverse lines near the base, a straight shaded line at about one-third; the reniform is very large, crescentic, steely blue, finely margined first with black, then with orange, and {36}then again with black; the centre of the crescent is filled in with black; beyond this spot there are three fine black wavy transverse lines emitting three very sharp teeth between the reniform and the dorsum; there is a faint shaded line near the termen. The hind-wings are rich brown, slightly paler than the fore-wings; there are three shaded, wavy, transverse lines. The termen of both wings is slightly scalloped with a minute bluish-white dot at each indentation; the cilia are dark brown.

The life-history is thus described by Mr. Colenso:--

The larva when full grown is about 3¾ inches in length, elongate, slightly thicker in the middle, and with the skin smooth. It is ash-colour, speckled with minute points of black and red; two minute carmine spots are situated close together on its back; and, when in motion, two large triangular black splashes are also visible. The under side of the larva is dull white, with several dull olive spots corresponding to its ventral prolegs. Its head is small, and pale Indian yellow in colour; its anal and ventral prolegs are large; on being touched the caterpillar coils itself up very rapidly and closely.

The specimen from which Mr. Colenso's description was taken, was found at rest on the trunk of a large acacia-tree, which is probably the food-plant of the larva.

The pupa is enclosed in a cocoon formed of leaves fastened together with silk. The insect appears to remain in this condition for about two months.

The pupa-case (after emergence) is nearly cylindrical, very obtuse at the head, and tapering regularly downwards from the end of the wing-cases, with the tail conical; the abdominal segments are very strongly marked. Its colour is dark red, with a bluish or violet bloom, but smooth and shining on its prominent parts.

The perfect insect appears in January, February, and March, but it is rather a scarce species. It is attracted by light, and thus occasionally enters houses, where specimens are generally captured. Mr. Meyrick states that this insect occurs commonly in Eastern Australia.

Genus 4.--RHAPSA.

"Eyes naked. Palpi very long, obliquely ascending, loosely rough-scaled throughout, second joint with dense long projecting tuft above towards apex, terminal joint moderate, Antennæ in male moderately bipectinated, apex simple. Thorax and abdomen not crested. Fore-wings in male beneath with large broad costal fold on anterior half."--(Meyrick.) (Plate II., figs. 16 and 17 neuration of Rhapsa scotosialis; fig. 18 head of ditto.)

We have two species.

RHAPSA SCOTOSIALIS, Walk.

(Rhapsa scotosialis, Walk., Suppl. 1150. Herminia lilacina, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, pl. xlii. 11. Rhapsa scotosialis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 38.)

(Plate VI., fig. 5 , 6 .)

This remarkable species is extremely abundant and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings have the costa considerably arched towards the apex, and the termen is bowed outwards in the middle; the colour is pale brown in the male and dark brown in the female; there are several obscure black marks near the base; the orbicular is very small, orange or pale grey outlined in black, the claviform is absent, the reniform is conspicuous, the outer edge is much indented, the inner edge is outlined with dull orange-red, there is a black blotch between the orbicular and the reniform; beyond the reniform there is a curved transverse line enveloping a series of minute black dots, then a very conspicuous wavy transverse line shaded towards the base of the wing; there is a pale triangular area at the apex, and a series of small crescentic dark brown markings on the termen; the cilia are dark brown. The hind-wings are greyish-ochreous; there is a rather faint line across the middle, followed by a broad shade; a series of {37}small crescentic marks is situated on the termen; the cilia are dark greyish-ochreous. The antennæ of the male are strongly bipectinated. The female is considerably darker, the markings are less distinct and numerous, and there is no black blotch between the orbicular and the reniform.

Some male specimens are much paler in colour than others, but with this exception there does not appear to be any important variation.

The eggs are round, flattened above, bright green, becoming dull purplish about two days after being laid.

The young larva when first emerged is about 1/8 inch in length; the head is brown; the body dull white, with a series of black tubercles round each segment, each tubercle emitting a tuft of bristles. The larva has sixteen legs, but the two anterior pairs of ventral claspers are not employed in walking, the caterpillar's mode of progression, consequently, resembling that of a larva with twelve legs only. The food-plant is Piper excelsum.

The perfect insect appears from September till April, and is very common amongst undergrowth in the forest. It is seldom found in the daytime, but at night it is extremely abundant in densely wooded situations. It flies in a very stealthy manner, and may soon be recognised on the wing by this feature alone. When disturbed it always secretes itself amongst dead fern fronds or other vegetable refuse, where its sombre colour effectually conceals it.

The costal fold on the under side of the fore-wing of the male contains a very large tuft of extremely long hairs. It probably emits a scent agreeable to the female.

RHAPSA OCTIAS. Meyr.

(Hyperaucha octias, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1897, 383.)

(Plate VI., fig. 7.)

This interesting little species has recently occurred in some numbers in the neighbourhood of Wellington. I have no record at present of its capture in any other New Zealand locality.

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings have the costa straight, and the termen with a large projection slightly above the middle; the colour is pale brown; there is a broad dark brown patch on the costa at the base, a jagged transverse line at about one-fourth, a very broad, oblique, blackish-brown, oblong patch on the costa at about one-third; beyond this patch is situated the reniform which is very large, indented towards the termen where it is outlined in dark brown; there is a very fine jagged transverse line from beneath the reniform to the dorsum; a large irregular patch of dark brownish-black just before the apex, and an obscure transverse line; there is a series of minute, dark brown, crescentic marks on the termen. The hind-wings are dull whitish-grey; there is a faint blackish dot in the middle, a wavy line a little below the middle, and a terminal series of small dark marks. The antennæ are filiform in both sexes.