Light trap records from southern North Island hill country

Abstract

Two light traps were operated from February 1977 until July 1981 in hill country near Woodville, southern North Island. Similar faunas were sampled by the traps, one at 110 m a.s.l., the other at 300 m a.s.l. Large differences in individual species records between traps were generally caused either by sporadic outbreaks or by food-plant or habitat distribution. The records were dominated by Trichoptera and Orocrambus spp., with the noctuid Graphania mutans (Walker) and the hepialid pasture pest Wiseana cervinata (Walker) 3rd and 4th most abundant. Species of Noctuidae were very abundant and many of the highest-ranked insects were known or possible pests of pasture. The noctuids Meterana exquisita (Philpott) and M. grandiosa (Philpott) were both common although both have been considered rare in the North Island. The ichneumonid Netelia ephippiata (Smith) was abundant despite the apparent absence of its only known host. The records resemble other light trap records for the region and may be typical of southern North Island hill country. The greater topographical and habitat diversity may cause longer flight seasons for insects in hill country than the same species in less diverse habitats.

Keywords:

• Light trap
• species lists
• pasture pests
• hill country
• fauna
• Orocrambus
• Graphania mutans
• Wiseana
• Meterana exquisita
• Meterana grandiosa
• Netelia ephippiata