Locality: NEW ZEALAND AK, Auckland 0612, suburb of Henderson, 41 Rhinevale Close.
Habitat: In the back garden, at dusk, near some cultivated bromeliads.
Identification: PSYCHODIDAE sp. ST1. Female.
Locality: NEW ZEALAND AK, suburb of Saint Johns, University of Auckland Tamaki Campus.
Habitat: Fraxinus sp., probably Fraxinus angustifolia. Three trees planted together in carpark. On foliage in sunshine, at about 1045 hrs. About to deposit an ootheca.
Identification: Balta bicolor Hebard, 1943. Female.
NOTES: This is the first specimen of this species that I have ever encountered. There can be little doubt that this is the same species as was reported, validated new to N.Z., by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (2009), under the name Balta bicolour [sic!]. MPI has material from two properties in Saint Heliers (AK), submitted in January 2008 and March 2009 (D. Gunawardana, pers. comm.) There is another species of Balta present on campus here, which is very similar, but far more abundant. It is nocturnal, whereas B. bicolor is diurnal. Females have short tegmina. It has no black markings on the legs. The taxonomy of these Australian species is not well sorted out, so identifications should be considered somewhat tentative at present.
REFERENCES
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand 2009: Biosecurity magazine, (91) Whole issue (PDF) [See p. 27; validated new to N.Z., as Balta bicolour]
Locality: NEW ZEALAND AK, Auckland 0612, suburb of Henderson, 41 Rhinevale Close.
Habitat: In the back garden, at dusk, near some cultivated bromeliads.
Identification: PSYCHODIDAE sp. ST1. Female.
Locality: NEW ZEALAND AK, Auckland 1072, suburb of Glen Innes/Point England/Saint Johns, 231 Apirana Ave.
Habitat: Lophostemon confertus. Inactive on leaf bud.
Ladybird juvenile on willow tree.
Feeding on different flower species.
On a Californian Thistle.
ID confirmed by C. Wardhaugh.
It is about 7mm long and located on swan plant riddled with aphids and vine hoppers
Came to light.
Quite hard to focus on this guy because he landed on the mirror. Bonus is you can also see his underside!