Viburnum Leaf Beetle vs Lichen Moth of New Zealand

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Viburnum Leaf Beetle	Lichen Moth of New Zealand
Scientific Name	Pyrrhalta viburni	Declana floccosa
Order	Coleoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Chrysomelidae	Geometridae
Size	4-6 mm	35-50 mm wingspan
Habitat	Gardens	Forests
Diet	Herbivores	Herbivores
Regions	Europe (native), introduced to North America	Oceania (New Zealand)
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Viburnum Leaf Beetle

A small, brownish-yellow beetle with dense pubescence that has become a serious invasive pest of ornamental viburnum shrubs. Larvae skeletonize leaves from the underside.

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Did You Know?

Females chew holes in twigs and deposit eggs inside, capping them with a mixture of excrement and chewed bark that hardens into a protective cover.

Lichen Moth of New Zealand

A beautifully camouflaged moth endemic to New Zealand that resembles a patch of lichen when resting on bark. Both the wings and body are patterned with greens, greys, and whites that perfectly mimic lichen. It is found in native forests throughout the country.

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Did You Know?

This moth's lichen-like camouflage is so convincing that it even has raised scale tufts on its wings that mimic the three-dimensional texture of lichen.