Blood-spotted Noctuid
Common NameBlood-spotted Noctuid
Scientific NameIchneutica insignis
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyNoctuinae
Wingspan (mm)40
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, black, reddish-brown
HabitatNative forests, shrubland, gardens, open areas
Geographic RangeNew Zealand
Host Plantsferns, Coprosma, Hebe, Griselinia, Plantago
Flight PeriodSeptember to May
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesUndergoes complete metamorphosis; eggs are laid on host plants, larvae feed on foliage, pupation occurs in the soil or leaf litter, and adults emerge to mate.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its overall cryptic brown and grey forewing pattern, particularly the prominent reddish-brown spots (reniform and orbicular stigmata) which give it its common name.
Description
A medium-sized moth with a robust, hairy body and forewings displaying a complex cryptic pattern of browns, grays, and blacks, notably marked with distinct reddish-brown or 'blood-like' spots.
