About Diasemia grammalis Doubleday, 1843
George Hudson described this species with the following physical characteristics. The wingspan ranges from 1⁄2 to 5⁄8 of an inch. The forewings have a very oblique termen and are dull brown in color. The dorsal and central area of the forewings is cream-colored extending to about two-thirds of the wing length. There are three short thick black bars on the dorsum, and a straight oblique white line runs from the costa at about three-quarters of the wing length, stopping just short of the dorsum. The hindwings are dull brown with two whitish bars edged in black. Adult wing color depth and the extent of white markings can vary; in some specimens, white markings can become dominant. This species is endemic to New Zealand, where it is found in both the North and South Islands. It inhabits open dry herb field areas ranging from the coast up to altitudes of around 1000m. Larvae live on the ground among leaf litter, feeding on the roots of native grasses and herbaceous plants, including Muehlenbeckia axillaris.
