Phil Bendle Collection:Gellonia dejectaria (Brown evening moth)

Kingdom: Animalia 
Phylum: Arthropoda 
Class: Insecta 
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Geometridae 
Subfamily: Ennominae 
Genus: Gellonia 
Species: G. dejectaria 
Binomial name: Gellonia dejectaria
Common Name: Brown Evening moth

This is a moth with a 50 mm wingspan and is native to New Zealand.
Seen October to December. It rests with its wings widespread aligning the pattern on its wings.
The leaves of  the Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), Supplejack (Ripogonum scandens), Bush lawyers (Rubus cissoides, Rubus schmidelioides) and probably other native trees are eaten by Gellonia dejectaria's caterpillars
This species of moth is attracted to light.
This moth can have variable colour patterns.

Male with feathery antennae

Male
[1]

Female
[2]

The underside of a male. NB the male's feathery antennae 
[3]

The underside.of a female
[4]

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and Information:  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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