Kawakawa looper damage
Cleora scriptaria Walker
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Size range
- Wingspan of moth 40–50 mm
Distribution
- Native, found throughout New Zealand
Life History
- Caterpillars feed nocturnally on leaves of Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsa) and other native shrubs including ake–ake (Dodonaea viscosa) and horopito (Pseudowintera)
- Most kawakawa plants have holes in the leaves made by these caterpillars
