Charixena iridoxa
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
Charixena iridoxa, also known as the Astelia zig-zag moth, is a moth classified sometimes in the family Glyphipterigidae and sometimes in Plutellidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1916. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands. The life cycle of this moth is at least two years in length with the larvae inhabiting the bulb of its host plants and mining the underside of its leaves. These mines have a distinctive zig-zag appearance and can be easily recognised when looked for on the host plants. The larvae pupate in a cocoon attached to the leaf and this stage takes place between February and August. The adult moths emerge in the early spring and are fast, day flying moths. Their larval hosts are plants in the genus Astelia and include Astelia fragrans and Astelia nervosa.
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick using specimens collected at Mount Burns in the Hunter Mountains and originally named Philpottia iridoxa. In 1921 Meyrick, recognising that the genus name Philpottia was preoccupied, placed this species in the genus Charixena. In 1924 Morris N. Watt published a paper giving details... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report an Astelia Zig-Zag Moth sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 60 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report an Astelia Zig-Zag Moth in Arthur's Pass National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and September, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Astelia Zig-Zag Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Astelia Zig-Zag Moth sightings, Arthur's Pass National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 20%) and Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Astelia Zig-Zag Moth that you can see in Arthur's Pass National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Canterbury Alpine Boulder Copper (about 40%), Black Mountain Ringlet (about 30%) and Sod Webworm (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Astelia Zig-Zag Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Arthur's Pass National Park (27 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
