Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.
LEUCANIA UNIPUNCTA, Haw.
(Leucania unipuncta, Haw., Lepidoptera Britannica, p. 174, No. 37. Leucania extranea, Gn., Noct. v. 77; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix. 2; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 12.)
(Plate [IV]., fig. 24.)
This species has occurred at Napier and at Wellington in the North Island. In the South Island it has been found at Nelson and at Christchurch.
The expansion of the wings is 1¾ inches. The fore-wings vary from dull ochreous to bright reddish-ochreous; there are numerous indistinct blackish dots; the orbicular and reniform are almost round and slightly paler than the rest of the wing; there is a minute white dot immediately below the reniform and an obscure, oblique blackish line from the apex of the wing ending in a series of minute black dots; the termen is not indented. The hind-wings are grey, darker near the termen; the cilia are white.
Varies considerably in the ground colour and in the extent of the black speckling.
"The larva is extremely variable. Its usual colour is pale brown with a white dorsal line and several dark lines on each side.
"Young larvæ closely resemble their food-plant in colour, and occasionally this is persistent throughout life; in fact the larva is very variable. Feeds on various grasses."[[13]]
The perfect insect first appears about January, and continues in increasing numbers until the middle or end of April. It is often met with at sugar.