Notoreas elegans

This species was first described in 2010 by Brian Patrick and Robert J.B. Hoare.[2] The epithet elegans means elegant and was used to honour the attractive colouration and pattern on the wings of the adult moth.[2]

When mature N. elegans larvae have a brown head, a bright green body with a band on its dorsal side coloured white with pink and yellow hints.[2] The subdorsal portion of the larvae has some white shading and there is also a lateral band of pale white pink.

Adult moths of this species have bright orange and white markings on their forewings with orange and black-marked hindwings.[2] N. elegans is similar in appearance to its close relations N. edwardsi and N. casanova.[2]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1] N. elegans occurs at elevations of between 150 and 1900 metres in the valleys and alpine areas of the Mackenzie Basin, South Canterbury, Otago and Fiordland.[2]

This species normally produces two broods per year but it has been hypothesised that at some localities it may produce only once in a season.[2] The female moth lays her eggs within the flower buds of their host plant.[3] When the larvae emerge from their eggs, they eat into the leaves or buds of their host, hiding from predators.[3] Once they are large enough, they emerge to feed from the fresh growth of the plant.[3] N. elegans pupate in a loose cocoon on the ground under their host.[3] The species spends approximately 43 days in their cocoon before emerging as an adult.[2] N. elegans are day flying moths.[3] They are low but fast flyers and constantly vibrate their wings to enable them to take off rapidly.[3]

The host plants for the larvae of N. elegants are endemic species within the genus Pimelea.[2][4] These include Pimelea aridula, Pimelea oreophila, Pimelea pseudolyallii, Pimelea sericeovillosa and Pimelea traversii.[4]

This species has a wide distribution in New Zealand and is therefore regarded as not being in need of conservation.[2]