About Orthoclydon praefectata (Walker, 1861)
Orthoclydon praefectata, first described by Walker in 1861, has a wingspan ranging from 38 to 45 mm. Male moths of this species are pale brown, while female moths are glossy white. This moth is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widely distributed across the country. Its habitat and main food plant is the New Zealand native flax, Phormium tenax. Female moths lay straw-colored eggs on the underside of flax leaves. Fully grown caterpillars reach approximately 2.5 cm in length; their bodies are brown-green, marked with three dark red lines along the back and one yellow line on each flank. Adult moths can be seen throughout all summer months.
