Batrachedra agaura

This species was described in 1901 by Edward Meyrick.[2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species both in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand,[3] and in his 1950 book Fragments of New Zealand entomology.[4] John S. Dugdale criticised the quality of Hudson's illustrations arguing that the images were not as brown as specimens of the moth.[5] The lectotype was collected by Meyrick at Mount Arthur below Flora Saddle in the Nelson district.[5] This specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.[5]

Batrachedra agaura illustration by George Hudson.

Meyrick described the species as follows:

♂♀. 13-17 m.m. Head pale whitish-ochreous. Palpi whitish, second joint dark fuscous towards apex, scale-projection slight, terminal joint more or less suffused with dark fuscous except base and apex. Antennae and thorax whitish-ochreous, reddish-tinged. Abdomen ochreous-whitish. Legs dark fuscous, suffusedly ringed with ochreous-whitish. Forewings whitish-ochreous or pale reddish-ochreous, more or less suffused with dark fuscous or dark reddish-fuscous irroration ; plical and first and second discal stigmata large, dark fuscous, plical at 2⁄5 , first discal slightly beyond middle : cilia pale fuscous, on costa ochreous-whitish dotted with dark fuscous, round apex with a black basal line. Hindwings rather dark fuscous ; cilia light fuscous or pale ochreous.[2]

Alfred Philpott described the proboscis of the adult of this species as being long and well developed.[6] The female of the species is lighter in appearance than the male.[4] The colour and markings of this species shows considerable variation.[3]

Sooty beech scale

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][7] Specimens have been collected from Kaeo in the North Island to Invercargill in the South Island and it is regarded as being generally distributed throughout the country.[3] This species has also been recorded at Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands.[8]

Adults are on the wing from October to February.[9] They are nocturnal and are occasionally attracted to light.[9] The larvae form a cocoon in their feeding place and pupate there.[9]

This moth prefers native forest habitat, especially beech forest and manuka scrubland.[3][9] It is also known to inhabit kanuka forest.[10] The larvae of this species is associated with sooty mold and sooty beech scale.[11] It has been hypothesised that B. agaura larvae feed on sooty beech scale.[11] However they may also feed on the sooty mold itself.[9] If B. agaura are found to consume scale insects this species will be one of the few that have larvae that are predatory.[9]