Poecilasthena schistaria, the kanuka looper, is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in New Zealand.
The wings vary from very pale brown to rather dull purplish-brown with numerous jagged, darker transverse lines. Adults are on wing from October to April.New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera)
The larvae feed on Leptospermum scoparium.Rod Morris: New Zealand Invertebrates They are dull green with a white more or less black-edged band down each side. There is a thin central white line on the back, and a narrow yellow line half-way between it and the lateral white band. The head is dull green.Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961 Pupation takes place in a slight cocoon below the surface of the earth.
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