(Plate [VII]., fig. 14.)
This beautiful species has occurred at Napier and Wellington in the North Island, and at Christchurch, Dunedin, Lake Wakatipu, and Invercargill in the South Island.
The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings are dark brown, with the veins and margins broadly shaded with bright green; there are numerous irregular wavy blackish streaks forming three ill-defined darker transverse bands; the first at the base; the second from one-fourth to about two-thirds, partially divided into two from the costa downwards; and the third near the termen outwardly edged with white. The termen itself is bordered first with green, and then with a series of fine black marks; the cilia are dark brown. The hind-wings are very pale reddish-brown, darker towards the dorsum, with numerous pale brown wavy transverse lines. There is a series of black crescentic marks on the termen, and the cilia are pale reddish-brown.
This species is rather variable. The spaces between the darker bands on the fore-wings are usually green, but in some specimens this is partially or wholly replaced by pale yellowish-brown. The dark bands also vary considerably in width and distinctness, and in many specimens the central band is entirely divided by a conspicuous pale brown or green transverse space.
The larva, according to Mr. Purdie, is about 1 inch long, cylindrical. Back a dull deep green; lateral stripe reddish-white, edged below with a darker colour; ventral side lighter green, with four parallel white or yellow lines close together, extending from the forelegs to the prolegs. Outer side of prolegs white. There are traces of a median dorsal stripe of brownish-red on the anal segments. Beaten from Coprosma. Found in January. Mr. Purdie states that he is not quite certain as to the identification of the species, as the median belt of the fore-wings is much more distinctly defined, and the colour is a duller green than is usual in H. similata.
The perfect insect appears from November till March. It is generally found resting on moss-covered tree-trunks, where its colouring affords it a most efficient protection from enemies.
HYDRIOMENA CALLICHLORA, Butl.
(Cidaria callichlora, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 509; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 76.)
(Plate [VII]., fig. 13.)
This beautiful insect has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Christchurch and Invercargill in the South Island.