▁ ▁T . ▁ster op ast is ▁is ▁en demic ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁It ▁is ▁common ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁throughout ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁and ▁host ▁plant ▁ ▁The ▁lar va e ▁of ▁T . ▁ster op ast is ▁consume ▁the ▁leaves ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁fla x ▁( Ph orm ium ▁ten ax ). ▁ ▁Inter actions ▁with ▁humans ▁The ▁lar va e ▁of ▁this ▁species ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁p est ▁as ▁it ▁che ws ▁distinct ive ▁not ches ▁in ▁the ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁fla x ▁leaves . ▁This ▁damage ▁ens ures ▁the ▁leaf ▁cannot ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁we aving . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁T met ol oph ota ▁ster op ast is ▁in ▁species ▁id ▁ ▁Category : M oth s ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁Category : M oth s ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Category : H aden inae ▁Category : End em ic ▁fa una ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Category : T ax a ▁named ▁by ▁Edward ▁Mey rick <0x0A> </s> ▁S od ium ▁nit rite ▁is ▁an ▁in organ ic ▁comp ound ▁with ▁the ▁chemical ▁formula ▁Na NO 2 . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁white ▁to ▁slightly ▁yellow ish ▁cry st all ine ▁pow der ▁that ▁is ▁very ▁sol ub le ▁in ▁water ▁and ▁is ▁h yg ro scop ic . ▁From ▁an ▁industrial ▁perspective , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁nit rite ▁salt . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁organ ic ▁comp ounds , ▁such ▁as