The perfect insect appears in December. I am indebted to Messrs. J. H. Lewis and W. R. Morris for my specimens.
AGROTIS SERICEA, Butl.
(Chersotis sericea, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 490. C. inconspicua, ib. 545. Agrotis sericea, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 33. A. inconspicua, ib. 34. Agrotis sericea, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 46.)
(Plate [V]., fig. 38 ♀.)
This species has occurred in the South Island at Christchurch, Rakaia, and Ashburton.
The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings vary from very pale grey to dark blackish-grey; there is an obscure transverse line near the base, and another at about one-fourth; the orbicular is oval and dark centred, the claviform is elongate, often very obscure, the reniform is broad dark centred, usually joined to the orbicular by a dark patch; all the stigmata are outlined in black; beyond the reniform there is a rather jagged transverse line, and several faint wedge-shaped markings; there is a series of minute elongate black marks on the termen; the cilia are grey with three dark lines. The hind-wings are grey with several fine black marks on the termen; the cilia are white.
This species seems to be rather variable both in ground colour and in markings.
The perfect insect appears in October, November, December and January. It is not a common species.
AGROTIS CEROPACHOIDES, Gn.
(Agrotis ceropachoides, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 39; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 34.)