Blue Carpet

Hudson described A. obarata as follows:

The expansion of the wings is barely 1 inch. The fore-wings are pale greyish-ochreous; there is an interrupted reddish-brown transverse band near the base; two faint, interrupted shaded blackish hues, one at about one-third and the other at about two-thirds, enclosing between them a large central area, which contains a very distinct black dot above the middle, and several irregular shaded black marks; beyond this there is a wavy reddish-brown band; the apex of the wing is somewhat projecting, and the termen is considerably bowed. The hind-wings are pale grey, with a paler central band, and numerous faint, wavy, darker grey lines. The cilia of all the wings are white, banded with dark grey.

Asaphodes obarata is endemic to New Zealand. As well as Nelson, it has been collected in Wellington, Christchurch and at the foot of Mount Hutt. It has also been collected at Waimarino and Ohakune in the North Island as well as in Akaroa, Otira, Dunedin, Queenstown and Invercargill in the South Island. This species is regarded as being rare. There has been a contraction of range in Dunedin and Southland; and this species is now considered locally extinct in both Dunedin and Invercargill.

Hudson states that this species could be found on the margins of forests and R. W. Fereday communicated that it was a plain-frequenting species that has an affinity for gorse hedges. Hudson also stated that adult moths were on the wing in December and January.