Izatha balanophora

Izatha balanophora is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the North Island. Larvae live off the dead bark of kānuka. The adult moths are on the wing during December to March. This species only occasionally comes to light.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1897 using a specimen collected by George Hudson in Wellington and named Semiocosma balanophora. The holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. Meyrick placed this species in the genus Izatha in 1915. Alfred Philpott, thinking he was describing a new species, named the moth Izatha milligani in 1927. The holotype specimen Philpott used is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. This name was synonymised by George Hudson when he discussed and illustrated this species in 1939.

Description

Meyrick described the species as follows:
The wingspan is 19.5–27 mm for males and 23.5–31 mm for females. Pale specimens of I. balanophora can be confused with I. blepharidota however I. balanophora always has a wider an elongate dark patch along the forewing costa in comparison the narrow dash of I. blepharidota. This species could also be confused with weakly marked I. mesoschista and I. haumu but it lacks the curved black line in the forewing disc of the other two species.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. I. balanophora is widespread through the North Island but is regarded as uncommon. The species is likely under recorded. It has been recorded Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Taupo, Rangitikei and Wellington districts. Although Hudson gave records of specimens from the South Island Robert J. B. Hoare hypothesised that these are likely I. manubriata.

Biology and behaviour

Adults are on wing from December to March. This species occasionally comes to light.

Habitat and hosts

Larvae have been reared from dead Kunzea ericoides and from an unidentified rotten log on the ground.