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The highlight of my night at Trotter's Gorge!!! Was delighted. A rare species I was hoping would turn up after I noted a prior record from Brian Patrick and I also found the host plant mountain carrot (Gingidia montana) growing in the area. Two of them actually came to light and were captured but I only got one photo of the underside of the second individual (last image) before accidentally setting it free prior to its photo session! Never mind, delighted with the first one!

Weird H. rubophaga sporting a big M? @nhudson @dr_robert

@carey-knox-southern-scales found what looks to be the same one with the big M on Stewart Island/Rakiura: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/140134953 and @paddy18 in Dunedin: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/142423891

X marks the spot! The highlight of the night was seeing this beautiful moth arrive 2.5 hours after the lights were turned on (lights on at 6 pm, moth arrived at about 8:30 pm). I didn't know they would be at this site and wasn't expecting them to be out at this time of year either. There must be some Streblus heterophyllus in the bush. Several photos of the moth and a few of my setup and the view at the end. Great spot! Yay!!! That is Meterana species number 22 for me (incl. the undescribed 'Urtica' one).

A tricky Ipana or Declana, so I was unsure. Thoughts? Came to light at about 3-4 degrees! A bit more background: I went to a public talk on lizards and invertebrates by Samuel Purdie in Cromwell and on my way through the Cromwell Gorge at 6 pm stopped and put out 2 UV lights (one as part of a heath trap and one on a white sheet). The two lights were about 30 metres apart. The habitat was mostly big old Olearia hectori shrubs - as I was hoping to maybe attract in a Meterana grandiosa. I didn't have high hopes of anything though, as it was only 3-4 degrees. However I thought I may as well let the lights do their thing whilst I went and listened to the talk. Came back to check the lights at about 9:30 pm and the Declana was the only moth that braved the cold conditions. Was sitting on the sheet. Other plants apart from the Olearia hectori was basically just matagouri, Coprosma propinqua, sweet briar rose, maybe some Melicytus alpinus, bush laywer, Muehlenbeckia complexa, native brooms, and Dracophyllum longifolium in the wider area.

Attracted by porch light at night. Larvae feed on the flowers of Melaleuca sp. (bottlebrush) - https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/352261 and
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/11988/prattdocs/74.pdf

This large Ichneutica (?) had me puzzled. The size, shape, and base colour appears similar to Ichneutica ustistriga, but the pattern is markedly different. I couldn't see a match based on a quick look.

In terms of moth uploads, I am currently 16 days (and A LOT of moths!) behind real-time. Only my 3rd day at home this December. So... we are still on my way up to Kahurangi National Park. Here is an interesting batch from a night at Lake Rotoroa (Nelson Lakes) in the beech forest and adjoining shrubland.

Interested in this one. I spent over an hour trying to match it to no avail! (sigh....). In terms of moth uploads, I am currently 16 days (and A LOT of moths!) behind real-time. Only my 3rd day at home this December. So... we are still on my way up to Kahurangi National Park. Here is an interesting batch from a night at Lake Rotoroa (Nelson Lakes) in the beech forest and adjoining shrubland.

This is a moth caught by @carey-knox-southern-scales at a UV light trap. He has recorded it here https://inaturalist.nz/observations/140856391. These photographs of the moth are added here in case they may provide additional useful information.