As no moths of this species are laboratory-reared in New Zealand, and little is known about the life cycle, adult moths were field-collected by light trapping in Canterbury during the summer months of 2013. All Noctuidae moths were housed individually once caught, before being transported back to the laboratory for identification of T. atristriga species. Female and male T. atristriga from light trapping samples were kept individually and maintained at a natural summer light and temperature regime.