BITYLA SERICEA, Butl.
(Bityla sericea, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 387, pl. xlii. 12; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 31.)
(Plate [V]., fig. 34.)
This rather striking insect has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Christchurch and Lake Guyon in the South Island.
The expansion of the wings is about 1¾ inches. The fore-wings are very dark greyish-black, darker near the termen, and very glossy; there are several isolated white scales towards the base of the wing, and a very obscure transverse line at about three-fourths; the cilia are cream colour and very conspicuous. The hind-wings are dark grey and glossy; the cilia are pale grey, very broadly tipped with cream colour.
The perfect insect appears in February and March, and is attracted by light. It is a rather scarce species.
Genus 10.—AGROTIS, Ochs.
Head rough-scaled; eyes naked. Antennæ in ♂ ciliated, often acutely bidentate or bipectinated, with apex simple. Thorax usually with more or less developed anterior and posterior crests. Abdomen not crested. Tibiæ all spinose.
"A very large genus occurring all over the world but much more plentifully in the northern hemisphere. The larvæ are very indiscriminate in their tastes, often feeding on almost any low plant; they are frequently subterranean in habit, but usually emerge by night to feed."—(Meyrick.)
This genus is represented in New Zealand by five species, one of which is an insect of almost world-wide distribution.