Aenetus virescens (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)
(puriri moth)
The only Aenetus species in New Zealand. Distributed widely over the North Island and many offshore islands. Larvae feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs from within a '7' shaped tunnel of variable size. The vertical section of the tunnel is usually less than 25 cm in length. Larvae feed primarily on callus tissue growing around the tunnel entrance.
Larval development within a single population may vary from one to four and possibly five years. Adults may emerge throughout the year with the main flight period occurring in the spring months of September through November. The best nights for collecting are warm and wet without heavy rain. A light misty rain is ideal, and on such nights many hundreds may congregate around a light. They are clumsy fliers and their landing may be accompanied by an audible 'smack.'
Adult images
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Aenetus
virescens
in the hand |
Adult male freshly
emerged from
stem of Cyathodes
fasciculata |
Adult male.
Form 'albo extremus' |
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Adult female.
Note color contrast
to male |
Adults at Light |
Predation by
morpork (New
Zealand owl) |
Immature stages
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First instar under web of silk and frass |
Pupal exuvium protruding from larval
tunnel surrounded by remains of silk
web. Host: Carpodetus serratus |
Tree-phase larva within tunnel in Nothofagus sp. Note early larval tunnel, now abandoned |
Collecting container for fecal pellets and larval exuviae |
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Newly established larval web mostly hidden beneath moss |
Surface webbing of silk and fecal pellets for litter phase larvae feeding on encrusting polypore fungi on dead log |
Larval feeding area on Carpodetus serratus. Pale areas freshly grazed. |
Selected references
Dugdale, J. S. 1994. Hepialidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera). Fauna of New Zealand 30:1-161.
Grehan, J. R. (1981) Morphological changes in the three-phase development of Aenetus virescens larvae
(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae).New Zealand Journal of Zoology 8, 505-514.
Grehan, J. R. 1983. Larval establishment behaviour of the borer Aenetus virescens (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)
in live trees. New Zealand Entomologist 7: 413-417.
Grehan, J. R. 1984. The host range of Aenetus virescens (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) and its evolution. New
Zealand Entomologist 8, 52-61.
Grehan, J. R., and P. J. Wigley. Fungal and bacterial diseases of Aenetus virescens (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)
New Zealand Entomologist 8: 61-63.
Grehan, J. R. 1988. Life cycle of the wood-borer Aenetus virescens (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae). New Zealand
Journal of Zoology 14, 209-217.
Grehan, J. R. 1988. Fungal and vascular plant polysaccharide digestion by larvae of Aenetus virescens
(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae). New Zealand Entomologist 11: 57-67.
Grehan, J. R. 1988 Fungal and vascular plant polysaccharide digestion by larvae of Aenetus virescens
(Lepidoptera: Hepialidae). New Zealand Entomologist 11: 57-67.
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