Flax weevil, Tararua Forest Park

[Colin Miskelly]

Kia ora,

I was surprised to find abundant flax weevil feeding sign spread along more than 8 km of Neill Ridge, Tararua Forest Park, and so ventured out at night (from Winchcombe Biv) to find this one.

Mike Meads (Forgotten Fauna, published 1990) stated that flax weevils had recently been found in the Tararuas, implying the late 1980s. I have not heard of any being seen since, and there are no other records in iNaturalist.

Colin

[Colin Miskelly]

The most recent Tararua specimen in the NZ Arthropod Collection was collected in 1984.

Colin

[Colin Miskelly]

Another Tararua flax weevil, this time near Alpha Hut on 25 April.

There was abundant feeding sign between there and Omega (all on the much used Southern Crossing Track), and also for a kilometre down Bull Mound Track.

Image is showing sidewise - it should be 'head up'.

Colin

[jameswickham]

Very cool, Colin! What does the feeding sign look like?

[Colin Miskelly]

Flax weevil feeding sign is asymmetrical notches on the edge of the leaf, with fibrous edges (unlike the symmetrical, sharp edge notches of the flax notch moth Ichneutica steropastis, which look like they have been cut with scissors).

The attached images were taken on Marchant Ridge on 11 May 2025 (an additional site, though I chose not to hang around till nightfall to look for the critters responsible - they are very difficult to find in daylight).

Colin