Pseudocoremia suavis
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Author: Birgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Pseudocoremia suavis Butler, 1879 - (common forest looper)
This moth is native to New Zealand and polyphagous. It has been introduced into the U.K. (first record in 2007) and is regarded as a quarantine risk in the rest of Europe and other temperate regions (e.g. see Marinova-Todorova et al., 2020). In New Zealand, it feeds on a large variety of conifers and broad-leaved trees, but has only caused defoliating outbreaks on some non-native conifers from the family Pinaceae, namely Pinus radiata and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir). Infested conifer trees have a scorched appearance and attacked needles drop to the ground, resulting in a growth reduction and in severe cases death of the trees.
There are typically several generations per year and the fully grown caterpillars spin down from the tree and pupate in the litter on the ground. The adult moths are nocturnal and feed on flowers and honeydew. They have a wing span of around 30 mm, with pale brown forewings that are speckled and mottled with darker brown. In the middle of the forewing is a broad, S-shaped, dark-brown band.
