A strong flier which can arrive here from Australia in tropical cyclones each year.
Family
Noctuidae
Biostatus
Adventive
Host Plant
Wide range (e.g. maize, tomato, Chrysanthemum, lucerne).
Egg
Laid in batches of hundreds on host.
Larva
Feeds on wide range of plants, preferring flowers, seedheads, fruits. Pest of cotton and other crops in Australia. Not a major pest in NZ.
Pupa
Pupates in chamber in soil.
Adult/Imago
November to April. Flies by day in full sun to visit thistle flowers. Attracted to light at night.
Forewing Length
15 - 20mm
Range
NZ
Habitat
Open areas, grasslands (native and exotic), arable crops, parks, gardens, coastal dunes, weedy places.