Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Cleora
Species: C.scriptaria
Scientific name: Cleora scriptaria
Common names: Caterpillar of the Kawakawa Looper, Grey Evening Moth
Cleora scriptaria is a native moth found throughout New Zealand with a wingspan of 40-50 mm.
Its caterpillars feed nocturnally on leaves of Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) and other native shrubs including ake-ake (Dodonaea viscosa), Horopito (Pseudowintera), Makomako (Aristotelia serrata), Ramarama and the introduced feijoa tree (Acca sellowiana). Most kawakawa plants have holes in the leaves made by these caterpillars.
A caterpillar of Cleora scriptaria moth on a Kawakawa leaf. Some caterpillars are green like in the photo but others develop darker markings and body lines as they grow.
A Cleora scriptaria caterpillar has changed colour and preparing to spin its cocoon.
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A Cleora scriptaria caterpillar spinning it's cocoon.
The cocoon.
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The holes in Kawakawa leaves left by this caterpillar. This damage does not seem to affect the plant.
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The Kawakawa Looper also called Grey Evening Moth
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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
