Mid-Winter entomological newsletter from New Zealand

[John Grehan]

From: "Brian Patrick" <bpatrick at xtra.co.nz>

Hi all,
In Otago we have had the most severe winter for years with hoar frosts, 
snow settling for days on end and much rain. A miserable time for a 
moth-hunter! Although it has been a good time for all of us to catch-up 
with reports and insect processing.
NEW TRACK FOR ENTOMOLOGISTS
Early November will see the opening of a new three day walking track on the 
Hump Ridge in southeastern Fiordland. Developed and owned by the local 
Tuatapere community it has cost close to $3 million and consists of two new 
hut complexes, boardwalks and journeys over three impressive historical 
viaducts.
The Hump Ridge (1067m) is important as a type locality for many beetles and 
moths collected by Alfred Philpott in the 1910s, so this track system will 
give not only good walking access to this alpine area but comfortable 
accommodation at high altitude and extensive views over Waitutu Forest. The 
track traverses forest, sand dune, shrubland, low alpine, historic features 
including viaducts and beach in its 55 kilometres.
Visit the website www.humpridgetrack.co.nz for information/ bookings 
on-line and a beautiful landscape.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The annual conference was held at Unitec, Auckland in early July and 
attracted about 90 entomologists from all across the country. This was a 
special conference being the 50th annual conference for the society - a 
real milestone. Three of the six surviving foundation members of the 
society were there - Keith Wise, Roy Harrison and Graeme Ramsay. Two of 
whom have published on NZ Lepidoptera. Sadly a fourth, Bruce Given, died in 
Blenheim soon after the conference.
A field trip to Matuku Reserve in the Waitakere Ranges proved very 
interesting with an impressive variety of vegetation types from kauri 
forest through shrublands to cliff-top grasslands to swampland.
Although insects themselves were scarce, their characteristic larval damage 
was evident everywhere.
This was followed by two and a half days of papers, posters, a wine and 
cheese and an annual dinner. The papers were generally of a higher than 
normal standard and this was reflected in good attendance figures 
maintained to the end.
Amongst several talks on moths and butterflies, George Gibbs examined the 
plight of the beech forest ringlet Dodonidia helmsii. His data show that 
the species has disappeared from many sites it was formerly known from, but 
still survives at mainly higher altitude sites where it presumably has less 
pressure from introduced paper wasps.
Overall, Auckland Branch organised a very friendly, informative and highly 
entertaining conference that will be remembered for a long time. Who will 
forget Robert's poem to open the conference and his acting ability in 
reenacting the finding of a rare NZ moth, performed at the annual dinner? A 
masterpiece.
It's also interesting that two moth hunters Robert Hoare and myself are 
presidents of the Auckland and national society respectively.
AUTUMN - WINTER INSECTS
Wet nights in early May brought out two hepialids in Dunedin in abundance; 
the Otago ghost moth Aoraia rufivena (wingspan 6-7cm) and the smaller 
winter ghost moth Cladoxycanus minos.
"little log cabin" cases (Psychidae) collected from Matuku (mentioned 
above) have hatched producing a male and two females. Robert, what is this 
species? Apterous females cling to the outside of the elegant case.
TROPICAL BUTTERFLY HOUSE
In early April I visited the Thames Tropical Butterfly House, following the 
AGM of the Entomological Society of NZ. Roger Gass, from Switzerland, 
kindly showed me around his two year old complex. He has 400 adult 
butterflies at any one time flying within a 6m high, 28 x 12m room with 
wonderful tropical vegetation, waterfall and pond. Heated to 28 degrees C, 
it is quite impressive, with Asian and South American butterflies imported 
as adults or pupae.
NEW RECORDS
Dr Robert Hoare of Landcare Research, Auckland, has prepared an annotated 
list of about 25? newly discovered, exotic moths and butterflies in New 
Zealand. His publication, which will hopefully contain coloured images of 
these new additions to our fauna, is in the refereeing stage. Most of these 
have appeared, mainly in the Auckland area over the past decade. Three new 
families of Lepidoptera that do not exist in NZ naturally are reported.
TRAVELS
In early April I accepted the invitation of Albert Rebergen of DoC in 
Masterton to visit a natural coastal site east of Wellington that he had 
discovered. The site, Lake Onoke Spit, has an impressive cushionfield of 
Pimelea that he thought might harbor Notoreas geometrids.
He was spectacularly correct! The brightly coloured moths were so numerous 
that they could be seen long before he stopped the vehicle along the gravel 
track. This species, one of many un-named in the genus, is distributed from 
the lower west Wellington coast to just north of Cape Palliser to the east 
of Lake Onoke.
This is one of the best populations found to date.
Red katipo spiders were also found in the dunes under driftwood, with sand 
tussock, spinifex and pingao nearby.
Between Thames and Lake Onoke, I explored several dune systems on the 
Taranaki (Bell Block), and Manawatu (Himatangi, Foxton and Tangimoana) 
coasts. It amazes me how much more natural are the dunes of the North 
Island compared to the sparser populated South Island.
Mid-May saw me lead the Otago Botanical Society on a field trip to 
"Witherow" Island in the Clutha River upstream from the Roxburgh Dam, and 
newly protected Birch Island in the Clutha River below Beaumont.
While the former is dry grassland/ shrubland, and the latter is moist beech 
forest, both have significant biological value as refugia from the ravages 
of introduced mammals. A full report has been published in the latest NZ 
Botanical Society Newsletter, reprinted and shortened from the Otago 
Botanical Society Newsletter.
Late May saw me in Napier for a day conference. I took time to explore two 
dune systems south of the city; Waimarama and Ocean Beach. Both are worth a 
look with an array of native plants on an attractive coastline. The latter 
system is extensive.
Between mid June and July I have been keeping warm, but two excursions to 
the south and west have been made. A weekend in Riverton proved interesting 
with an exploration of areas that Alfred Philpott collected in - the 
Riverton dunes.
Five days at Te Anau for a management conference gave time to explore 
Milford and Homer Tunnel in hoar frost conditions. Impressive landscape of 
ice, rock and rich flora. I grabbed some leaf mines from Hoheria below the 
tunnel. Also got an adult Declana griseata at light in mid-July! Larval 
host mistletoe was found nearby on beech.
Let me know what you have been doing and I'll pass your news onto others.
regards
Brian
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