Common name : Kowhai moth caterpillar
Scientific name : Uresiphita polygonalis maorialis
Family : Pyralidae
Native to : New Zealand
Interesting fact : While the moth looks like most other moths, the caterpillar of the kowhai moth is distinctive with its speckled appearance and hair-like structures all over its body.
While the moth has a wingspan of 27 mm, the caterpillar is approximately 15 mm in length. The diet of the caterpillar is comprised of the kowhai plant and also of brooms, lupin, gorse and clover plants. The female kowhai moth lays her eggs on the foliage of the kowhai tree. Once the eggs hatch, they have a ready food source of kowhai leaves.
