Issue 01 | WInter 2012

BUTTERFLIESAND MOTHS OF NEW ZEALAND

LESSER WANDERERNEW ZEALAND NATIVES

LARGER MOTHSZOO ADMIRALS

WAITAKERETHINGS fOR SALE

020306101113

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Rebecca Bibby is an environmental chemist with specialist skills in aquatic systems and water quality. She is currently employed as Senior Water Quality Consultant at Beca Ltd, an international engineering consultancy based in Auckland.

While at Beca, she has applied her skills and experience to a wide variety of projects, both autonomously and as part of large multi-disciplinary teams, to investigate, quantify and provide solutions to complex water-related problems both here and overseas.

Prior to working at Beca, Rebecca was employed as a teaching and research technician in the School of Geography and Environmental Science at The University of Auckland. She has a strong interest in environmental matters including the protection and maintenance of New Zealand’s biodiversity. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) and Master of Science degree (MSc) in Environmental and Marine Science at Auckland University. In her spare time she enjoys reading, tramping and yoga.

Christine Evans-Millar lives in Christchurch with her husband and two precious lap dogs.

She has worked for the Telecom Group for 13 years and currently works as a Client Manager for Gen-I, their IT services and ICT solutions provider.

Christine was born and raised in Nebraska and comes from a long line of butterfly lovers. She met her NZ husband, Paul, while studying at The University of Auckland. She is currently a PhD candidate (Film Music) at the University of Otago.

Christine is passionate about working with young children and giving them confidence and inspired about spending time in the outdoors. She has an adult daughter, Bella.

Lani Evans is a Wellington based youth and community worker who is passionate about growing levels of generosity, sustainability, community connection, citizenship and general radness.

She is a trained film-maker and animator and was one of the first women to traverse the South Island, spending 84 days in untracked areas of the Southern Alps, walking from the bottom of the island to the top.

Lani runs the ReGeneration Trust, a national community organisation that supports young people to create positive social, environmental, cultural and creative change in their schools, workplaces, communities and the world. She has volunteered for many different community organisations including the Generosity

Hub, Inspiring Stories, the Port Chalmers Community Gardens, RAVE (Respect And Value Everyone) and the Vodafone Foundation World of Difference whanau. She is passionate about the NZ environment and looks forward to her future work with the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust.

Also in Wellington, Sea Rotmann is a behaviour change consultant, with energy savings and energy efficiency as her focal interests. Currently, her main project is being Operating Agent for Task XXIV on Behaviour Change for the International Energy Agency’s DSM Implementing Agreement, which regularly takes her overseas.

She previously worked at the EECA as Principal Scientist and Research Team Manager and spent several years in

government agencies implementing sustainability practices, including energy efficiency, commercial building Green Star standards, carbon neutral public service goals, carbon footprinting, sustainable procurement and transport. She has a PhD in environmental impact assessments and degrees in zoology and marine biology.

Sea has been the NZ member of the IEA’s Expert Group for R&D Priority Setting and Evaluation for the last five years and co-led several international workshops and energy efficiency summer studies. As a board member of the National Energy Research Institute and the Ministry of Science and Innovation’s Environment, Energy and Minerals Investment Panel, she occasionally gets a hand in steering NZ’s energy research capability, research priorities and research strategy. Sea is on the board of trustees of the Sustainability Trust and co-chairs the Wellington City Council’s Environmental Reference Group.

trustees Farewell

New Trustees

In this issue we say thank you and farewell to two of our trustees – Louise Carroll and Norm Twigge who are resigning due to pressure of other commitments.

Louise is better known for her diligence and efforts in steering the National Foundation for the Deaf, an organisation made up of six member groups who together support deaf and hearing Impaired people in this country. Louise was appointed a trustee in March last year.

Louise’s role is an extremely busy one, and she was unable to devote the time to the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust.

Norm Twigge is also extremely busy, having become a trustee in 2009 – but his spare time is spent on practical projects for the betterment of our Lepidoptera and habitat. As you will read elsewhere in this publication, much of his time is spent to researching issues to do with our butterflies and moths – and raising generations of one of our migrant sub-tropical butterflies, the Lesser Wanderer.

Norm intends to continue representing the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust at events when he is able to do so.

We know that this is not “goodbye” to Louise and Norm but want to express our thanks for the good work that they have both put in to the growth of this organisation over the years.

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The Australian migrant butterfly the Lesser Wanderer appears in New Zealand during most summers after being assisted across the Tasman Sea by wind currents. Quite often a number of sightings are recorded throughout the country. Imagine my surprise when I noticed one flitting around the milkweed plants in my backyard on 23rd January, and the good fortune to have my net handy was instrumental in being able to catch it and release it into my butterfly house.

It proved to be a female and the question on my mind as to whether it had mated or not was answered thirty minutes later when it laid some eggs on the milkweed plants there.

‘Were the eggs fertile?’ was the next question, and three days later tiny caterpillars started emerging, much to my elation. During the next ten days she laid in excess of 120 eggs and fortunately I had numerous plants which had been grown from seed for the Monarchs. The caterpillars might be confused with Monarchs at first but after a second glance you will notice the extra pair of long, black tentacle-like appendages on the 6th segment They also have bright yellow spots or diamonds rather than bands of yellow as in their cousins, the Monarchs.

As is normal not all the caterpillars made it through to butterfly stage but near 80 was pleasing, although not all at once as the caterpillars developed at differing rates.

A number of adults mated and a second generation of eggs started an even more strung out process; the earlier caterpillars were pupating as the later one were hatching from eggs. There were many facets of development to observe and record, which was made more pleasant by being retired and able to spend a large part of the day out in the butterfly house absorbing it all.

My wife asked me at one stage if I would like my dinner delivered out there, a light-hearted comment that made me realise just how much time I was actually spending out there. Now with winter starting comes the problems of trying to initiate a third generation of the sub-tropical butterfly, a butterfly that breeds throughout the year in the upper half of Australia, in a climate that is far from similar to ours, and whether inbreeding from the one individual will hinder any further progress.

Thoughts of bringing them all inside for the night when temperatures drop to zero, or put a heater out there to keep them warm – maybe I should take my sleeping bag and a stretcher out there...

�esser �anderer�esser �anderer- by Norm

Larva

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PurelyNew ZealaNd

NativesIn the Garden with Jane

Occasionally questions come up about which natives to grow for butterflies. Before New

Zealand was colonised by settlers from other lands our NZ butterfly species found plenty of host and nectar plants for their survival. All our land area was covered with NZ plant species and the butterflies didn’t have to deal with urban drift, roading, pesticides, air pollution and a host of other modern developments.

I am full of admiration for those gardeners who want to base their gardens on native plants, partly because those are the plants that support our native and endemic creatures, many of whom host on only one or two plant species and consequently in many cases are now suffering from extreme habitat loss.

Creation of a NZ landscape habitat is a challenge and requires much research. A purely NZ native garden can look astonishingly beautiful surrounding a private home or commercial building.

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Inspiration and information on the NZ native garden can be gleaned from many excellent books on the subject, and I would also recommend that if you are contemplating this kind of garden it is a MUST to find your LOCAL NZ native plant nursery and seek information on plants which do well in your area, in your local soil type, and for the conditions you can supply e.g. sun, shade, semi-shade, wet, dry, sandy, clay. Also consider eventual plant size; it’s no good planting a totara in a garden strip between the path and the house under the eaves.

The best place to see our native plant species growing is without a doubt the Otari Plant Museum, which is a large hillside open air museum of live NZ plants growing in their ideal biome or conditions. Display gardens hold everything from streamside damp mossy rainforest conditions down at the bottom of the gully, to rocky mountain top terrain. Gravelly screes mimic our South Island terrain. A fernery, long flax beds displaying all the flaxes in their variety and colours, and a divaricating plant collection. For the real enthusiast Otari is a must. They even have a mature Urtica ferox – OngaOnga – growing at the edge of one of the car parks with a large display board giving all the information and history of our NZ nettles.

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Nectar-bearing native plants are Carmichaelia (Brooms); Celmisia sp.; Clematis; Coprosma – many and varied; Corokia; Disphyma australe – NZ Ice Plant; Hebe stricta, H. salicifolia – (Koromiko). In fact all Hebes will be excellent; Hibiscus richardsonii; Kunzea (Kanuka); Leonohebe or whipchord hebes; Leptospermum (Manuka); Libertia (NZ Iris); Metrosideros spp. – Pohutukawa and Rata; Meuhlenbeckia (Pohuehue) M. axillaris, M. complexa, M. astonii; Olearia cheesemanii, O. solandri, O. paniculata, O. nummularifolia, and critically endangered O. adenocarpa from Canterbury.; Pachystegia; Parsonsia heterophylla – (Kaihua), NZ jasmine. Butterflies love this!; Passiflora tetrandra (NZ passionfruit); Phormium spp, especially P. cookianum, P. tenax (Flax); Pimelia; Pittosporum; Pomaderris kumeraho – (Kumarahou) ‘Golden Tainui’; Pseudopanax arboreus, P. ferox, much loved by butterflies; Rhabdothamnus (NZ Gloxinia); Senecio (Brachyglottis spp.) B. greyi, B. repanda, B. ‘Otari Cloud’; Vitex lucens – (Puriri) a great coastal tree that has flowers all year round; Weinmannia racemosa – (Kamahi) and Xeronema (Poor Knights Lily)

It goes without saying that you must choose those that will suit YOUR garden, and that your LOCAL native plant specialist will be your best adviser as to which will be best for you to ensure some success

Anyway. back to your native plantings! Firstly, host plants for the butterflies you hope to attract. These are the NZ native plants on which the larvae (caterpillars) will feed:

• Southern Blue butterflies: Carmichaelia spp.• Copper butterflies: Muehlenbeckia australis, M. complexa, M. axillaris• Red and Yellow Admirals: Urtica ferox and U. incisa

Copper butterflies:Muehlenbeckia australis, M. complexa, M. axillaris

Other butterflies are very localised and specialised and I have not dwelled on these because they are generally not found in urban areas and are a subject on their own. I had intended this article to be small, and had wanted to say very little and give a small list of natives with nectar that flower throughout the year and cover the seasons along with their cultural notes, but there is obviously going to have to be more written on this subject at some point for those of you who are interested in this topic. In the meantime here are a few

to look up. Not all are flashy, showy plants, but they do not have to be in order to have nectar. This is evident in the number of bees and butterflies that visit the insignificant flowers of the Pittosporums.

Yellow Admirals:Urtica ferox and U. incisa

Cheers for now and happy gardening all - Jane Carver

6NEWS

Larger Moths of New Zealand

Moths are often overlooked, even despised creatures, frequently considered drab and

uninteresting compared to their butterfly cousins, while some are notorious for their caterpillars’ attacks on our woollen clothes and the food in our cupboards.

But this reputation is completely undeserved. Moths are far more diverse than butterflies in their colour, size, shape and ornamentation, as well as their life histories and behaviour. In NZ only 24 species of butterflies have been recorded, and nearly half of these are migrants or interlopers from overseas. Meanwhile, of the 1700 or more species of moths in this country, nearly 90% are found nowhere else. Only a tiny proportion can be regarded as pest species, and most are harmless members of our native fauna. Many are associated with forests, but shrublands, tussocklands, wetlands, mountain screes and alpine meadows, coastal dunes and even subantarctic islands each have their own complement of species.

Some of these habitats and their associated moth specialists are under threat from habitat destruction, while in lowland areas throughout the country introduced social wasps are having a devastating effect on caterpillar numbers. Possums, pigs and deer in our forests destroy many of the foodplants necessary for the development of particular species, and rats and mice undoubtedly devour many caterpillars and pupae.

But monitoring moth populations and understanding threats to particular species

rely on being able to identify the moths in the first place. With so many species and so few specialised entomologists, New Zealand is not an easy place to identify moths. Illustrated guides are either very incomplete (showing only an assortment of more common species), or, in the case of the wonderful butterfly and moth books by G.V. Hudson (1928, 1939) very out of date and expensive to buy second-hand.

The new, TFBIS-funded image gallery addresses this problem by being the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the larger moths of NZ. It covers all of the families of moths traditionally termed ‘macro-moths’, i.e. most of the easily noticed species with wingspans over 30 mm. For most of the 451 species covered, a male and a female specimen are shown; clicking on an image brings up an enlargement. More than perhaps any other group of insects, moths lend themselves to identification by simple comparison with a photograph, due to their intricately patterned wings, which often show easily appreciated differences between species. With care and patience, anyone should be able to identify almost any larger moth in good condition found in NZ by browsing through the image galleries.

Image gallery and online guidehttp://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biosystematics/invertebrates/largemoths

NEWS

It is hoped that conservation managers, restoration groups, schools, and other individuals and groups with an interest in nature will be inspired by these photographs of our diverse moth fauna to seek out these neglected creatures and put a name to their finds. A bright light shone against a white wall or white sheet at night will attract a number of different species on a warm humid night. Other species can be disturbed by day in the forest, while some fly actively, especially in sunny open habitats such as alpine meadows.

In the long term, recording of moths in NZ (aided by this image gallery) will help build up a picture of their distributions, so that conservationists can understand which species may be declining and in need of special protection. And this website should also aid recognition of new invasive species, which may prove to be pests of native plants or crops, or unwanted competitors with native species. Early detection of such species in NZ may be crucial for biosecurity.

Specimens illustrated in thie guide were selected from collections throughout NZ by Robert Hoare and Alan Emmerson, and photographed using the AutoMontage technique by Birgit Rhode at Landcare Research, Auckland

- Robert Hoare

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It is hoped that conservation managers,

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Sixty species of Lepidoptera, and many other insects, were found over the weekend. Among the exciting finds was a brand new species of day-flying (diurnal) geometrid in the genus Arctesthes. Brian disturbed one male in an open wetland at a height of 640 metres. The moth flew about 50 metres away.

“When I found it again, it again flew a short distance away and I lost it,” he said. “However, after about 15 minutes of searching, Hamish came to help out.

He said that Hamish who was fresh and keen again disturbed it and this time caught the pretty adult (see photo).

“A new species was in the net, and could be identified in its genus. You can imagine the thrill to have a new species!”

Hours more searching by both Brian and Hamish did not reveal any more, so it is assumed that as this male was in perfect condition, the species emerges in March and April and this was an early one.

Brian said it was an amazingly timely find, as they have had funding from DoC to describe another new species of Arctesthes found a few years ago in the Von Valley, northern Southland, again in wetlands. Both the Von and Denniston new species are similar in size and colour pattern. Hamish was using the funding to do genetics work on the undescribed Von species and comparing it to the two described species A. catapyrrha and A. siris – the former widespread

from coastal to alpine in open habitats of South Island, the latter from a few alpine ranges in Central Otago.

Both are small and pretty diurnal geometrids. So a fourth species in the genus will now be studied too and ultimately named.

Hamish quickly sampled the DNA of the Denniston species and found it was distinct from the look-alike species from the Von Valley.Other wonderful discoveries from the Denniston were the Forest Ringlet Dodonidia helmsi. (many of these were seen) and also a rare noctuid moth Tmetolophota blenheimensis – both rare and threatened species. Many other noctuid and geometrid moths came to light or were netted by day, producing an amazing collection from this important place.

Brian said that it is a pity that the Government has already given permission for an Australian company to mine for coal by open cast method despite the area being conservation land and having obvious high conservation values.

“The new moth and rare butterflies just confirm the area’s importance,” he told us. “An Environment Court appeal will be heard soon, so pressure on your local MP or by writing to the Prime Minister will help to protect this amazing area. Mention the new moth and high diversity of other moths and butterflies.”

Letters to the Prime Minister, John Key, do not require a postage stamp. They should be addressed C/- Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Lepidoptera discoveries in high placesDiscovery of a new diurnal geometrid on Denniston Plateau

To publicise the need to protect the amazing

Denniston Plateau, Forest and Bird held a BioBlitz over the weekend of 2-3 March. The Patrick family (Brian, Aiko, sons Hamish and Tajimi) camped up on the top of the plateau.

“This made it much easier for us to sample the moths and butterflies of this exciting area by day and night,” Brian said.

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Discovery of the Large White

While there was a great deal of attention given in the media after the discovery of a solitary fruit fly in the Avondale area recently, Biosecurity personnel in Nelson have not been ignoring the discovery of the Large White (Pieris brassicae) in their region, first seen by one of our members in Autumn 2010.

At the time of publication there had been 82 positive finds since that original detection - 45 of those over the last breeding season. Even with the onset of winter there were still caterpillars in the wild.

“There appears to be an established population in Nelson now,” Bruce Phillip, adviser to the department responsible told us. “However, all the finds have been in or close to central Nelson, so it appears to be still restricted in distribution.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries, formerly the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is continuing with a public awareness campaign, treatment of all new sites and surveillance in the area. As well they are currently assessing the feasibility of other actions

Paul Vandenberg is a linehaul driver but when he’s home again in Palmerston North and his time is his own he’s working on his passion: creating butterfly habitat in Apollo Park, Milson.

Paul has gathered together a team of volunteers who are keenly watching the butterfly garden take shape under willow trees which are known to be overwintering habitat for Monarchs.

With the garden planted up it is hoped that Copper butterflies together with Red and Yellow Admirals will also be attracted. Now a team of Girl Guides from Milson are monitoring the willow trees, counting numbers as the Monarchs gather and begin their period of diapause.

Paul has been encouraging local businesses to donate materials for the park but depends on others to provide the labour and contribute to his ideas while Tracey (his wife) has been baking up a storm to feed them all at the working bees. Paul

has created a ‘Wish List’ on the official Facebook page (Monarchs in Apollo Park) to remind everyone what plants or items they’re looking for. He also posts reports there and a range of

photographs too.

http://www.facebook.com/MonarchsApolloPark

Well done, Paul and your helpers.

Apollo Park

Mayor Jono Naylor Visit

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Butterflies welcome atAfter about two years of argument, discussion and dedicated work Auckland Zoo has recently opened Te Wao Nui, a clear third of their property dedicated in celebration of our own wildlife and its conservation. This is a big risk for Auckland Zoo as so much of our wildlife is either cryptic or uncharismatic (or both) too much of the general public’s eyes. There are distinct ecological exhibits including alpine, offshore islands, nocturnal, marine, forest and wetlands.

I was most impressed when I visited, especially regarding their genuine passion for conservation and advocacy, I but wondered why they had no native butterflies, because it’s easy to do and they do have some resources and man power.

Angela Gibbons and I thought we should do something about it. We got the Zoo people together for a little ‘show and tell’ and a fair amount of urging to get going. It was easy to show them the value of having Admirals in Te Wao Nui. They’re just gorgeous and a rare, very pretty and colourful native animal. We showed how easy it was to build protective cages, went through basic husbandry and explained how their enclosures were easily large enough to sustain a full cycle for the species, and of course offered to stock the place when they were ready. We waited and waited and then... yes! “We need some of your butterflies. Got any?”

The Zoo had been busy planting native nettles in their wetland enclosure and they have provided a couple of butterfly feeders as well as growing the vigorous European nettles out of the public eye. On top of that they’ve constructed fully wasp-protected enclosures for

raising stock of their own. It was a delight to provide 50 butterflies on release day and they have been all afluttering. Keep an eye out should you be visiting the Te Wao Nui exhibits.

The greatest thing about the butterflies is that they are totally free within the enclosure. They aren’t ‘over there’, and will almost certainly alight occasionally on some visitors’ blue shirts or maybe even their ice creams.

The wetlands is easily large enough for them to do all the butterfly stuff they need to do. Feed. Mate. Lay eggs. What’s more, the massive stainless steel mesh that surrounds all of the ecological areas is just fine enough to give some protection from predation by those horrid invasive paper wasps, German wasps and common wasps which decimate populations in the north. Zoo staff is also now doing much more for surrounding wasp control.

There is nothing more appealing than the flit of our native Lepidoptera about these places. The moment they were released the atmosphere in the wetlands enclosure changed. The air had movement and colour and the few visitors that happened to be present at the release could not help but beam with smiles.

Primarily this is an effort towards advocacy and awareness which is great in and of itself. Just seeing these butterflies at the Zoo should inspire people to better appreciate them, to show visitors

we have them, and perhaps they’ll resist chopping and poisoning all the nettle in their gully and eliminate pests where they can but the ultimate goal is to do some real conservation.

The Zoo wants to breed not only for the Te Wao Nui displays but to release significant numbers into the wild. Now all we have to do is get them going with our endemic Red Admirals and who knows... Forest Ringlets, maybe, one day.

The Zoo requires more European Nettle for ‘back stage’ and will welcome occasional stock top-ups until they reach full steam. This would be good for genetic diversity as well, so if you can help please contact me, Graeme Hill, ghill@mediaworks.co.nz

Graeme Hill

Graeme Hill is a writer/broadcaster and passionate advocate for our natural world. He hosts the Weekend Variety Wireless on Radio Live, Saturdays & Sundays 10am-2pm, including Environews every Saturday at 11:30am

Auckland Zoo

Charlotte and Allan Beesley were so fired up about butterflies that they started a networking group in Auckland for butterfly fanatics. They decided to call the group ‘Waitakere Butterfly Connection’.

It is an informal community action group that has been building for almost a year.

To begin with they contacted the local newspaper and asked if they would be interested in doing a story on what they were doing. Over 40 people got in touch.

Before the story was printed they were ready; they worked on fact sheets for the Monarch butterfly and contacted a graphic artist in our neighbourhood to design a logo, which we have on our fact sheets.

At first meetings were held at their own home, together with a practical workshop and a PowerPoint presentation. They had spare seeds of nectar and host plants so made up small giveaways. As the group grew they asked if others would like to host a meeting.

”It did not have to be anything fancy; they provide a cup of tea and a nibble. This way everyone can see how gardens are different and get more ideas,” said Charlotte.

Charlotte says the group is small enough that they are able to hold monthly gatherings. “But as the group grows we may have to rethink this and work out other ways to stay connected. Workshops are proving popular.”

In October they had a presentation from Robert Arter-Williamson, keen lepidopterist. The group shares cuttings, seeds, information and help each other out if there is a shortage of food for caterpillars etc. They held a butterfly release at West Lynn Garden in New Lynn in February with about 50 butterflies creating a beautiful display. Email updates keep everyone informed about what is happening and what is being achieved.

“We are totally independent of the Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust,’ said Charlotte, “but do refer people on for castles, the forum etc. When we have new people contact us we send them our fact sheets. Everyone loves those and pass them on to other people.”

“It is a lot of work to begin with but worth it in the end, especially when everyone gets together and you all learn about the butterflies,” she said. “I hope more groups like this form around the country; think of all the new butterfly friends you will have. You can decide if you would like to share cuttings or plants from your garden. You can organise a local event in the summer for the group.” - Charlotte

Network community group forButterfly Enthusiasts

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• A copy of ‘How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids’ by Canadian author Carol Pasternak. This is an excellent publication reviewed elsewhere in this newsletter.

• Win a T-shirt of your choice, sponsored by Print Mighty, from the wide range of colourful shirts on their website, Print Mighty Ltd, based in Paraparaumu, has a webstore offering high quality apparel and a speedy, professional print service. You can choose any of the garments on their website, and it will arrive in the mail a few days later. Choose the size, style, colour and logo you prefer.

• A McGregor’s pruning set – lightweght loppers and stainless steel secateurs. The loppers have lightweight but strong Nyglass handles, a razor sharp non-stick coated blade, comfort grip handles and a sliding action head for less fatigue and ease of use. They will cut up to 33mm diameter

branches and measure 600mm overall. They have a five year guarantee. The secateurs measure 190mm overall, feature precision ground stainless steel blades for long life, soft touch grips for comfort, and a 19mm cutting capacity. They have a lifetime guarantee. Courtesy of McGregor’s.

• Three lucky members will receive two bottles of Richmond Plains Wines. Established in 1991 and exclusively organic since inception, Nelson’s Richmond Plains vineyard is an organic and biodynamic specialist – the first NZ winery to achieve both certifications. Richmond Plains produced NZ’s first ever Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Blanc de Noir from certified organic and biodynamic grapes. Their wines recently won the first ever gold medals for organic and biodynamic wines in Hong Kong. All of their entries at the Hong Kong Show won medals. They have proudly sponsored the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust for the past three years. Thanks Richmond Plains!

IncentIves to Renew

Book RevIew

It’s that time of the year when your subscription is due and we have some wonderful products to offer you if you get your payment in promptly. Those who pay before the end of July will go into the lucky draw for one of these goodies:

How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids by Carol Pasternak

Although written for a North American audience, this book would be great in any New Zealand home, school or library. It has been written for a primary level audience but describes the basic anatomy of the Monarch butterfly and how to care for them.

If we were in North America we would find the sections about looking for Monarchs ‘in the wild’ more useful but we can convert the techniques to our school and home gardens – or even the neighbours’ place!

Metamorphosis is covered in great detail with stunning photographs of every stage, and there is a great glossary at the back of the book.

There are also suggestions as to how to plant up your garden for Monarch butterflies. It’s a great resource for every Monarch lover. Published by: Firefly Books Ltd. ISBN: 9781770850026 Pages: 48 Available on line: Amazon.com Cost: $US20.00.

As well, some lucky members will be given complimentary packets of milkweed seeds, which will be distributed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

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Things for saleMagnets - Monarch $4, others $3

The Monarch magnet measures 100mm x 70mm and features a life-size Monarch, which is a native to NZ as it is self-introduced, on a white background. The other magnets are smaller but feature the Yellow Admiral, Red Admiral and a Copper butterfly, also life-size.

Giant Swan Plant seeds - $5.50

Giant Swan Plant, Gomphocarpus physocarpus, one packet contains 25-50 seeds. This is a host plant for the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). The Giant Swan Plant is much more resilient than the ordinary swan plant - growing bigger and stronger and providing more food for your caterpillars. Grows in all parts of New Zealand. In the right conditions the plant will last for two or three years. Originally from Africa. The seed pods are not swan-shaped but the female Monarchs lay their eggs on it just the same and often prefer it to the Swan Plant.

Sow directly in the garden when soil is warmer. For earlier sowings use seed mix in egg cartons or similar and cover with a light sprinkling of topsoil. Keep moist and warm. Transplant when seedlings are 5-10cm tall. Protect from snails and slugs.

Tropical Milkweed seeds - Scarlet or Gold $5.50

Asclepias curassavica or Tropical Milkweed, one packet contains 20-30 seeds. This is one of the host plants for the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Tropical milkweed grows better in warmer conditions - but is loved in particular for its colourful flowers. The plant originates in the Americas.

It does not have swan-shaped seed pods but Monarchs lay on it just the same and often prefer it to the Swan Plant. Seed pods look more like pea pods: when they open they are filled with very fine filaments which will carry the seed away on the wind. Sow directly in the garden when soil is warmer. For earlier sowings use seed mix in egg cartons or similar and cover with a light sprinkling of topsoil. Keep moist and warm. Transplant when seedlings are 5-10cm tall. Protect from snails and slugs.

Swamp Milkweed - Asclepias incarnata seeds $5.50

Swamp Milkweed originated in America. It has pink flowers. It is not frost-tender and once established will provide good supplies of feed in the early part of the season while you are getting your swan plant seedlings up to a reasonable size. The plant may not be suited as the sole source of food for Monarch caterpillars as it loses its leaves before the last of the caterpillars have finished feeding. One packet contains 20-30 seeds

Plant seed as soon as possible into seedling pots or seed trays – and then prick seedlings out into larger pots when they have 2-3 true leaves. First year plants will normally only have a single stem but in following years will produce multiple stems as the rhizomes develop. Light browsing by caterpillars is okay in the first year but ensure that there is a reasonable amount of foliage retained to enable the plant to develop a strong healthy rhizome mass.

Nectar flower seeds - $5.50

A balanced mix of 18 colourful annuals and perennials of mixed heights and flowering periods. Specially formulated for butterfly conservation, it contains many beautiful wildflowers that are attractive to butterflies as sources of nectar. Height: 30-70 cm. Includes Sow directly in the garden when soil is warmer. This mix is enough to cover 2 square metres, and will attract a wide range of butterflies and moths.

Asclepias curassavica ‘Silky Scarlet’; Calendula - English Marigold; Cornflower mixed colours; Cherianthus - Siberian Wallflower; Cynoglossum - Forget Me Not; Iberis - Candytuft; Coreposis - Plains coreopsis/tickweed; Dianthus - Sweet William; Echinacea - Purple Cone flower; Linaria - Toadflax; Delphinium - Rocket larkspur; Dimorphotheca - African Daisy; Linum - Blue flax; Lobularia - Sweet Alyssum; Rudbeckia - Yellow Coneflower/Blackeyed Susan and Trifolium - Crimson Clover.

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Things for saleBrooch (closed wings or open wings) - $5.50 each

These are beautiful, little enamelled pins. They are about 2cm diameter, with a pin and a keeper. Cute to wear on T-shirts, sweaters, hats, coats, or as a tiepin - to show you are a butterfly lover.

Monarch butterfly, Kiwiana

A beautiful Monarch butterfly, brand new but as seen in the 50’s - every second house had one on an exterior wall. This one (Large, 415mm wide) is true to the Monarch butterfly in orange, with black and white. But other colours are available: red, blue, green, yellow, purple or pink. Each one comes with screws for attaching to walls etc. They are made of outdoor-treated plywood and painted with exterior housepaint. Antennae are made from a pipe cleaner.

Pure Kiwiana! Available in different sizes (prices include post & packing) :

• Large, 415mm wide, $65• Medium 320mm wide, $50• Small 237mm wide, $40

Our 2013 calendar is looking fantastic, and as well as publicising NZ’s beautiful butterflies and moths they also generate funds for the MBNZT. Calendars are $20 each P&P incl. Last year’s calendar is on our website as an example, but here’s a sneak peak at this year’s cover. They are A4, a month to a page, and each page has a photograph of one of our more colourful species or this year we’ve included a few delightful photographs of children enjoying their butterflies.

There was an exciting response from Nelson members to the call out to ‘man the stands’ at the Ecofest in Nelson’s Trafalgar Park, 18 and 19 August. Chrissie Ward was unable to organise the MBNZT stand as she has for the last three years, but people have lined up to help out. If you are in the Nelson area, look out for our display – and if you’d like to be involved, contact Jacqui, Jacqui@monarch.org.nz.

Caterpillar/Butterfly Castle

These are awesome cages! Collapsible, lightweight and durable, they fold almost flat! Washable: use 10% bleach to sanitise before reuse.

Five fine mesh sides to promote healthy air flow. One clear vinyl full side window for easy viewing of contents. Large protected zippered opening for easy access. Proven design used to raise thousands of healthy critters. Fine mesh will stop ants, wasps and other nasty predators.

The large castle measures 33cm x 33cm x 60cm and costs $38 (incl P&P). It is a good size for 20-50 caterpillars or even butterflies ready for release.

Jumbos are 60cm x 60cm x 90cm and cost $65 each (incl P&P).

Monarch metamorphosis poster - $6 (incl P&P)

These colourful A4 posters, full colour, are great for understanding the metamorphosis of the Monarch butterfly. Colour photographs show the egg, the various stages of the caterpillar, it hanging as a J before it becomes a pupa or chrysalis, and then goes on to show the emergence of the butterfly. It also shows the difference between a male and a female Monarch.

$5.50 each

beautiful, little

2cm diameter, with a pin and a keeper. Cute to wear on T-shirts,

Nelson members get behind Ecofest

Calendar 2013

Bookmarks - $3.50

Original art and short slogan referring to butterflies on each. These make wonderful gifts, easy to post. Full colour photography on one side and hand-trimmed with ribbon and beads decoration. Different colours/butterflies - each one is unique. About 150mm long.

Sightings

So far since we started recording sightings of butterflies, moths and pests we’ve collected data of 7170 Monarchs, 492 pests, and less than 50 other species.

Being involved requires patience and stamina. Information recorded in this decade may not be useful until next decade, but we are breaking ground so that in future years we can look back to see what species were around in 2012 and compare it with what is around in, say, 2022.

As Shinichi Nakagawa, Senior Lecturer of Behavioural Ecology at the University of Otago, says: “My feeling is your dataset is still in its infancy and it will probably take another few years of data for scientists to make use of it.”

In the United Kingdom research using the relatively common Speckled Wood butterfly captured over thirty years has been useful for scientists measuring changes in landscapes which could affect the survival of various species. This will be especially useful if we are to protect, for example, our beautiful Forest Ringlet, already on the ‘in serious decline’ list.

Data gathered in Butterfly Conservation’s world-renowned schemes is used by the Government to indicate the health of the environment at national, UK and European levels. Ongoing monitoring programmes help direct conservation effort where they are most needed, and also helps assess how effective current conservation work is.

Tagging

The Monarch Butterfly Tagging Project is in its seventh year. Five years ago a Monarch was recorded as having flown from Pukawa Bay, near Turangi to Whangarei, about 400 kilometres!

At time of writing there have been 132 recoveries of tagged butterflies recorded this year. About 9,000 Monarchs have been tagged this season, although it still seems that some people are tagging their Monarchs and not entering the data at the time.

When a tagged butterfly is found and the details entered, a map charting its start and end location are instantly generated, and won’t be if the correct data has not been recorded. One tagger also had been releasing their butterflies at a Wanganui address and hadn’t realised that the address (and geocodes) being entered were for the same street in the Wellington region.

This year with the help of the Association of Primary Science Educators, we have had a large number of schools got involved with the project. During Primary Science Week in May some of our taggers gave demonstrations in schools and a workshop for teachers using butterflies in the classroom was held at Onehunga Primary School.

Transects

163 transects have been recorded to date. Those people walking transects cover the same territory and count species over the summer. People can choose the length of their transects and the frequency that they are walked.

“Walking the transect is so worthwhile,” says Chrissie Ward, who has been doing in it for several years in Nelson. “We get to know what to look out for – where there are gardens with swan plants, and where there are nectar plants where we might find butterflies feeding. People chat to us about the progress of their caterpillars and butterflies, and discuss what to do about pest problems. Plus, it’s good exercise!”

If you would like to advertise in the Spring issue of “Butterflies” please email: trust@monarch.org.nz

PO Box 44100, Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246 | www.monarch.org.nzCOPYRIGHT © 2008 MONARCH BUTTERFLY NZ TRUST, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

We hope that you like this first copy of our new look magazine.

Tagging Our research projects began soon after the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust began in July 2005.