New Zealand Newsletter number 5, Spring 2001

[John Grehan]

The following is Brian Patrick's latest newsletter. The list referred to as 
an attachment is not included, but I will post the list later.

Dear all,
with summer approaching quickly it is timely for some sharing of news on 
the butterfly and moth front.
People news
We are all pleased to hear that John Dugdale has had a successful triple 
heart bypass operation, and is recuperating at home in Nelson. Recent 
reports state that he is planning his next moth trip soon!
John Grehan, who works at the Frost Museum in eastern USA is visiting NZ 
for Christmas, primarily to visit his parents in Wainuiomata.
Books
Brian Parkinson has two new books out; New Zealand alpine flora and fauna 
and Common insects of New Zealand. Both are moderately priced and are 
mostly photographic. Moths feature in both.
I have purchased a copy of the 2 volume set "Butterflies of Australia" by 
Braby. I have found it excellent, both in terms of plates, maps and text. 
other sections are extremely useful too. Worth the money. Landcare in 
Christchurch will sell you a copy at a very competitive price.
Andrea Stephens has completed her Masters Thesis at victoria University 
entitled "Pseudocoremia....... systematics, biogeography and host plant 
associations". A very fine and detailed work that recognises six additional 
species, five of which are described. Let's hope she publishes her results 
soon.
Robert Hoare has had his study of the enigmatic Titanomis sisyrota 
published by DoC recently. Worth getting a copy from Box 10-420, Wellington 
before it is exhausted.
Has anyone got a "Butterflies of the Australian region" 3rd edition that 
they want to part with for a reasonable price? If so contaxct me please.
Jose Derraik and 16 other authors have had a study of insects, including 
moths, feeding on Olearia bullata on the base of the Rock & Pillar Range in 
Otago, published in the NZ Journal of Zoology.
Carl McGuinness of DoC has written a beautifully produced folder/ book of 
threatened NZ invertebrates, including many illustrated moths. It is 
exhaustive and very useful, with most species illustrated and details 
described in full. DoC has also produced an A4 leaflet to promote the 
plight of NZ invertebrates to back up the publication.
Exploring
George Gibbs has completed a very productive trip south to Fiordland. In 
the Percy Burn, Grebe Valley, he found a brand new species of Palaeomicra 
(Micropterigidae). On west-facing wet banks it was locally common. Great 
news. Both undescribed species in this genus are found in Fiordland.
Robert Hoare has had an early season trip to central North Island where he 
collected the fine Meterana pictula, got bombarded by 50 purir moths (lucky 
man!) , nabbed some interesting tortricids such as Pyrgotis spp. On the 
road between Taihape and Napier on the way to Hawkes Bay he found Prepalla 
austrina in open shrubland, flying by day.
Robert also reports breeding Graphania chlorodonta from Tmesipteris in 
Auckland, a good record, as I have it from herbs in southern NZ.
Eric Edwards has just returned from Secretary Island in Fiordland. He 
reports 45 + moths at light, but few diurnal by day on Mt Grono. I'm 
looking forward to seeing them in due course.
His major find was Lyperobius on Mt Grono and the rare Hadramphus 
stilbocarpae on Anisotome lyallii on the coast. The latter was locally very 
common and represents a major find for this threatened species.
Brian Patrick with his family has had an exciting start to the season with 
a first venture into the tropics !
We had 10 days at Shangri-La's Fijian Resort on Yanuca Island, separated by 
a short causeway to the mainland on the Coral coast, only 40 minutes from 
Nadi. What an adventure! We hired a car to explore the forests towards 
Suva, and a 4WD to explore the uplands at the head of the Sigatoka Valley, 
but found the jungle on the island which is supported by a botanical 
gardens and nursery to be the richest for butterflies. In total we got 20 
species of 45 native species present on all the islands. Hamish and me were 
very pleased with the diversity and numbers we found. The four Euploea 
species were a special thrill to me, while Hamish loved the two skippers he 
found. It was a treat for him to finally see skippers. It was a thrill to 
be able to collect everyday and night, even when it rained! No rest in the 
tropics for a lepidopterist! In all we brought back (Legally) 650 insects 
for the museum collection. An idyllic place with something for everyone. 
The people and landscape are wonderful. We'll be back.
The draft list of what we caught is attached for your interest.
Since then Hamish and me have light trapped at Evansdale Glen north of 
Dunedin, where we got 64 moth species. Agriophara colligatella was a good 
find along with hordes of the fine noctuid Meterana merope. 


 
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