Bug FAQBarred Pink Carpet
Xanthorhoe semifissata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Also called: Barred pink carpet moth, Barred pink looper moth
The barred pink carpet moth has pale pink fore-wings with wavy brown lines, a distinct brown central band that widens toward the costa, brown-shaded termen, and black-dotted veins; its hind-wings are bright ochreous with many wavy darker lines. It is about 2.5 cm long with a wingspan of roughly one inch, lives on shrub edges of native forests and montane grasslands, and is endemic to New Zealand’s North, South and Stewart Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wings expand to about an inch. Fully grown adults are roughly 2.5 cm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Adults are found on shrubs at the edge of native forest. They also prefer forest edges and montane grasslands.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on watercress (Nasturtium officinale) and plants in the genus Cardamine.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
It likely has two broods, one in spring/early summer and another in late summer, with the second possibly overwintering.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In Arthur's Pass montane grasslands they are seen from November through April.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is endemic to New Zealand. It occurs on the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the barred pink carpet moth look like?
Males have pale pink fore-wings with wavy brown lines, a distinct brown central band that widens toward the costa, brown shading on the termen, and black-dotted veins; the hind-wings are bright ochreous with many wavy darker lines.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is the barred pink carpet moth?
Its wingspan is about an inch and the adult body length is roughly 2.5 cm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth in New Zealand?
It lives on shrub edges of native forests and montane grasslands and is found on the North Island, South Island and Stewart Island.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on watercress (Nasturtium officinale) and Cardamine species.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
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Large Lace-border MothScopula limboundataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Riband WaveIdaea aversata
Yellow Shell MothCamptogramma bilineata
Large Maple Spanworm MothProchoerodes lineolaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthorhoe_semifissata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.