Arctesthes avatar
The avatar moth is a little day-flying moth with a big story. It only lives on the Denniston Plateau – a windswept part of the South Island’s West Coast rich in endemic species. Its beautiful pale orange-yellow hindwings contrast strikingly with the earthy tones of its forewings.
This moth lives in ephemeral wetlands between 640 and 1000 metres above sea level, emerging briefly as an adult from February to March. Despite its beauty, its future is precarious. Classified as Nationally Critical under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, the avatar moth is one bulldozer away from extinction.
The moth was first discovered in 2012 by lepidopterist, Brian Patrick, during a bio-blitz run by Forest & Bird. To celebrate the find, Forest & Bird ran a naming competition. The chosen name – avatar – echoes the fictional world of the film Avatar, where the indigenous people and a unique ecosystem face destruction from a mining company. Sadly, the parallel is real: Bathurst Resources has applied for fast-track approval to mine coal on the Denniston Plateau, an area equivalent to 1,700 rugby fields.
Any habitat loss could spell disaster for this species – it’s only ever been found in two locations on the Plateau. Forest & Bird is championing the Avatar moth for Bug of the Year, raising awareness of its plight and the urgent need to protect its home.
Check these links for more info on the Avatar Moth in NZ
Wikipedia: Information on the Avatar Moth
Moths & Butterflies: Arctesthes avatar | Avatar moth
Follow the Forest and Bird campaign for the Avatar Moth on Instagram and/or Facebook.
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Click on the image to visit the official observation.
