Izatha austera

Izatha austera is a species of moth in the Oecophoridae family. It is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] I. austera was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1884 under the name Semiocosma austera using two specimens collected in Wellington in January.^[2] This species is widespread throughout the North Island, with a single South Island record from north-west Nelson.^[3]

The wingspan is 13–19 mm for males and 16.5–25 mm for females. Adults are on wing from December to February.^[3]

Larvae feed during the winter in dead wood, including moist logs on the forest floor, and drier standing dead wood. They have been recorded from dead branches of Aristotelia serrata, Coprosma grandifolia and probably Coprosma robusta, Cordyline australis, Coriaria arborea, Laurelia novae-zelandiae, Litsea calicaris, Melicytus ramiflorus and Olearia rani. They tunnel into the wood and produce copious frass, which is often conspicuous on the outside of the affected branch. Many larvae often occur together in a single branch or log.^[3]

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