About Ichneutica moderata
Walker described Ichneutica moderata as follows. For both male and female adult specimens, the body is dark ash-gray, and the underside is ash-gray. The palpi curve slightly upward, extend just past the head; the second segment is densely covered in hairs, and the third segment is elongated conical, no longer than one-third the length of the second segment. Male antennae are pubescent and covered in small bristles. The male abdomen extends slightly past the hindwings, and the apical tuft is nearly square in shape. The forewings have four irregular lines made up of black lunules. The first and second lines sit on the inner side of a diffuse dark band, while the third and fourth lines, located beyond the band, are undulating and lie close to one another. The submarginal line is ash-gray, toothed, and extends to the outer border in males; the marginal lunules are black. Hindwings are brown, with a pale ash-gray fringe. Body length ranges from 8 to 9 lines, and wing length ranges from 19 to 20 lines. The adult male of this species has a wingspan of 33 to 38 mm, while the adult female has a wingspan of 36 to 43 mm. This species does not have highly distinctive markings, but can be told apart from other similar species because both males and females have unmarked creamy white fringes on their hindwings. Hudson described the full-grown larva of the species as follows. The full-grown larva is about 1 3/8 inches (35 mm) long, stout, cylindrical, and tapers slightly at both ends; the dorsal surface is pale dull red, while the sides are dull greenish, speckled and suffused with dark coloring. The underside is clear, pale, dull green. The head is ochreous-brown with two distinct blackish-brown stripes; the thoracic segments are pale greenish-brown. The second thoracic segment has an elongated oval blackish-brown horny dorsal plate, while the other thoracic segments have underdeveloped dorsal plates. The general body surface is somewhat wrinkled. There is a distinct series of trapezoidal black marks on the back of segments 5 through 11, that are faint toward the posterior end; segments 12 and 13 are darker on the back. There is a narrow, pale reddish dorsal line, and a double row of highly polished warts on each abdominal segment except the last, with a single row of warts on each thoracic segment. The spiracles are black. This species is found throughout New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands, with the only exception being the northern part of the North Island, specifically the area north of Bay of Plenty. I. moderata prefers open habitats in lowland to montane zones.
