Holocola charopa

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1888, using two specimens collected in Auckland and Whanganui in December, and was originally named Strepsicrates charopa.^[3][2] George Hudson discussed this species both in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand as well as in the 1939 book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand, under the name Spilonota charopa.^[4][5] In 2010 the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity listed this species as being placed in the genus Holocola.^[1] The lectotype is held at the Natural History Museum, London.^[2]

Meyrick described this species as follows:

Male. — 11-12 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax pale ochreous. Antennae grey, notched at 1⁄8. Abdomen light grey, anal tuft whitish-ochreous. Legs grey, ringed with whitish-ochreous. Forewings elongate, narrow, costa gently arched, apex tolerably pointed, hindmargin slightly sinuate, rather strongly oblique; pale ochreous, somewhat suffused with deeper ochreous; a few fine scattered dark fuscous scales; a short leaden-metallic erect streak from anal angle, and a similar one before middle of hindmargin : cilia light ochreous, with an ill-defined blackish apical spot. Hindwings grey, apex tinged with whitish-ochreous; cilia grey-whitish, with a cloudy darker line.^[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the northern parts of the North Island.^[6] This species is regarded as being relatively common in and around Auckland and has also been observed in Whangārei.^[7][4]

The larvae of this species web together and feed on the emerging shoots of their host plant.^[8] Adults have been recorded on the wing in July and from November until February.^[7]

The larval hosts of this moth are species within the plant genus Leptospermum.^[9] Larvae of this species have also been successfully raised on the plant species Kunzea ericoides.^[8]