About Wiseana cervinata (Walker, 1865)
Wiseana cervinata, commonly known as a porina moth, is a moth species in the Hepialidae family. This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865, and it is endemic to New Zealand. Males of this species have a wingspan ranging from 34 to 38 millimeters, while females have a larger wingspan ranging from 44 to 55 millimeters. Adult Wiseana cervinata are active on the wing between September and March each year. The larvae of this species feed on plants in the Trifolium genus, along with a variety of different grasses. Researchers have investigated the interactions between this moth species and kūmara, a traditional Māori food crop. Their findings indicate that Wiseana cervinata may have fed on kūmara within traditional kūmara gardens.
