Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Melville Intermediate - two Students save an Endangered Moth!

On Wednesday 28th August Room Five were returning from the Gym to move onto the Netball Courts.  It was then Harry and Elizabeth made an exciting discovery. they had spotted a large monsterus green thing stuck in a spider web, and they were gobsmacked  at the sight of it. in less than a second a crowed gatherd  around to see the thing.

It was a Puriri Moth.   They are endangered.  They the caterpillars eat the leaves of the Puriri Tree.  Adults only live for two months.  It was 5.1cm long.  Owen and Deighton decided to save the moth and carefully placed it on a garden. It was then released.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Melville,

    I am Lilli from 8C.
    This is so cool! I wish that I could see a Puriri Moth.
    Do you know how many are in the world or New Zealand?

    Lilli 8C Selwyn Happenings

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    1. they only live in new zealand and i`m not sure how many there are.
      from owen

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  2. Hi Room 5,

    That's amazing that you saved an endangered animal. That is really sad that adults only live for two months. A big congratulations to Harry and Elizabeth for saving it.

    Charlotte 8C, Selwyn House School, Christchurch, New Zealand

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    1. they also live for two months as larvae
      and harry and elizabeth found it not save it ,deighton and I saved it but sadly it died from being eaten by a silver eye shortly after it was released because it flew into the bird!

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  3. Hi Guys
    Well done on rescuing the Puriri Moth. You might like to find out about the special way they develop inside a puriri tree. They are certainly pretty special insects!

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  4. I already know how they develop because I always read books nearly 24\7 and yes they are realy special arthropods.

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