Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Tortricidae
Genus: Epalxiphora
Species: E. axenana
Binomial name: Epalxiphora axenana
Common name: Brindled bell moth
Epalxiphora axenana is a species of leafroller moth endemic to New Zealand, where it has been recorded from throughout the North Island and in Nelson, Buller and Westland in the South Island. It can be found from September to April.
Epalxiphora axenana is a small nocturnal moth >30 mm long. During the day it can be seen resting on vegetation.
There are the differences in appearance between males and females due to sexual dimorphism. The wing patterns can be very variable so no two moths look the same.
The larvae feed on the leaves of Piper excelsum (Kawakawa), Dysoxylum spectabile (Kohekohe), Griselinia species (Broadleaf), Myrsine salicina (Toro) and on the citrus species. They feed on the under-surface of a leaf beneath a few threads of silk; later two leaves are drawn together, sometimes a single leaf is folded. The adult larvae are a semitransparent green and they have a yellowish head that has a dark strip at the rear. The pupa is 9 mm. long, 3 mm wide.
Other moths with slightly different markings from the previous photos
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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
