ISSUE 07 | SUMMER 2013-14

AND MOTHS OF NEW ZEALANDBUTTERFLIES

• Rhode Street School’s innovative approach to learning• Nodding Milkweed – A good hardy specimen for butterflies• Movie Review – Flight of the Butterflies• A butterfly garden for all creatures great and small

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Bring in the

COPPER BUTTERFLIESLet’s plant a Copper Butterfly Highway

PLUS ON PG 16:

XMAS GIFT IDEAS

CONTENTSEditorial

Who’s helping our butterflies and moths

Rhode Street School’s innovative approach to learning

Nodding Milkweed

Flight of the Butterflies

Bring in the Copper butterflies. Let’s plant a Copper Butterfly Highway

MBNZT at work around the country Butterfly T-shirts for sale

A butterfly garden for all creatures great and small

Three Taranaki Tales

Photography Tip

Goodies to buy – Great gift ideas for Xmas

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From the EDITOR

Cover photo: Male Lycaena salustius or Common Copper, photo by Angela Moon-Jones. Depending on the outcome of a peer review this butterfly may well become known as Maui’s Copper.

Editor/Secretary: Jacqui Knightjacqui@monarch.org.nz

Art Director: Kristie Rogers, redmooncreative@xtra.co.nz

Treasurer: Carol Stensness treasurer@monarch.org.nz

Advertising: Angela Moon-Jonesangela@monarch.org.nz

ISSN 2324-1993 (Print) ISSN 2324-2000 (Online)Published by: Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust, PO Box 44100Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246www.nzbutterflies.org.nztrust@monarch.org.nzFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbnztTwitter: @NZButterfliesPinterest: pinterest.com/mbnzt

Please supportOUR SPONSORS

Printed in New Zealand on Cocoon 100% recycled paper using vegetable-based inks

A big thank you to our magazine sponsors. We couldn’t do it without you.

Painted Lady – photo by

Anna Barnett

Don’t you just love this time of year? I get a thrill when

I see my first Monarch, and first Admiral and... when I hear the first Shining Cuckoo... The first daffodils... first bluebells... Well now that’s all behind us and we’re almost into Summer. By the time you’re reading this, Summer will be here!

Last week I drove from Murupara through the Waikaremoana Road to Wairoa and... what a thrill! I noticed a dark shape fly around my car and thought it was a bumble bee, but it wasn’t quite the right shape. And then another and another and many, many more. This was over some distance – 10 kilometres or so. So I stopped and walked back along the road and there were two Red Admirals on the road behind me. There were more fluttering about – so wonderful to see so many in such a short space of time: probably about 50 all up! There must be some expanses of host plant nearby and it was obviously too early for the wasps.

I was excited to visit Rhode Street School recently and learn all about what they are doing for and with butterflies and moths. This is a great little school in Hamilton – read about it on page 4. Also, when I visited Taranaki last month I was astounded at what is going on there as far as restoring habitat for butterflies:

both topics are covered in this issue. So very uplifting.

There’s more wonderful articles here for your pleasure, too. All about our Copper butterflies and their host plants – and another type of milkweed that we should be able to establish soon in New Zealand, I hope. It does sound an interesting

variety. We have had a lot of interest shown in A. purparescens (see last issue) and hope to be able to sell it in the future.

Many people are reporting sightings of Painted Ladies (Vanessa kershawi) which have been blown over from Australia in recent months. They’ve been found mostly in North Island coastal areas – similar colourings to Monarchs (orange) but not much bigger than a Cabbage White butterfly. At rest (which is not very often) you may notice that their

hindwings are scalloped. Please continue to report sightings in to www.mb.org.nz.

I was thrilled to learn that my garden has been certified as being a good example of butterfly habitat. If you haven’t previously considered having your garden certified, do so – it is rewarding to have others look at your habitat objectively

and make suggestions.We’re delighted to bring you some

more of our innovative T-shirt range (see page 11) and hope to have bags available too. If you have a specific colour of species you’d like to wear, and it’s not shown in the range, do let us know and we’ll try and get it for you.

Enjoy your butterflies and gardens!– Jacqui Knight

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Palmerston NorthEmily Demchick was approached by the Palmerston North City Environmental Trust last year to conduct a survey of Monarchs overwintering in 17 different parks between May and July because of her background in ecology and zoology. Emily has a particular interest in invertebrates and was thrilled by the opportunity. The interest in the winter behaviour of Monarchs has been fostered by the butterfly gardens at Apollo Park. Eleven parks were found to have Monarchs clustering.

Butterfly counts were generally highest in June but the number of parks with Monarchs was greatest in May which would suggest that butterflies move into larger groups as winter progresses. The PNCET is in the process of determining how the data from the past two years can best be used with regards to butterfly conservation in Palmerston North and what future research may be beneficial.

Who’s helping ourBUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS

When she is not butterfly spotting Emily’s other academic and professional interests include freshwater invertebrates and stream ecology.

MilsonThe butterfly habitat at Apollo Park, Milson, is looking even more spectacular following a working bee where a crowd of dedicated people put in hours of work making wheelchair-friendly paths to enable improved access for everyone. They had nine wheelbarrows working hard out and after 4½ hours they had laid down over 150m of lime pathway.

Paul Vandenberg has also added a few more plants and pulled out some unwanted weeds. He has had tentative approval for street signage. Good on you Paul and team!

ChristchurchKathryn Smith made this art piece as part of her Pastoral Care study. It was an ‘art reflection/relaxing’ session. Her tutor came with a ‘box of bits’ and asked the students to create an artwork.

Emily Demchick

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ThamesClinton Care made these Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly and a wooden Comet moth by hand. Clinton can often be found in the forum on our website, www.monarch.org.nz/forum

OwakaAt Earthlore Gordon has been busy building the ‘Great Orlando’s Magical Flea Circus puppet show. He’s finished construction on the Big Top and has the stage finished... Watch this space!

Paul Vandenberg

Above: The wheelbarrows from the dedicated helpers. Below: The finished butterfly habitat at Apollo Park, Milson.

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its own commercial kitchen, vegetable gardens, greenhouse, orchard and chickens and now has a yearly Kai Festival for which the children grow and prepare food and share with their community.

All projects are student-led. If they can dream it, they can do it. They have had swan plants and Monarchs in and around the grounds for many years and this is how they incorporate them into their learning. The plants now reseed themselves each year.

Thanks to Elrika Keyser for the story and photographs

Hamilton’s Rhode Street School has an innovative approach to teaching

and learning. Principal Shane Ngatai has been at the school for seven years and has a reputation for challenging the status quo and going the extra mile.

The school is in the process of creating an ecological island complete with lake, swing-bridge and shipping container classroom. They want to plant more plants for New Zealand butterflies and other insects as well as birds and other life.

The Decile 3 school has a high proportion of Maori students (76%) and has previously made headlines for its innovations in dealing with poverty. Over the past few years it has developed

Rhode Street School’s

to learning

INNOVATIVEAPPROACH

“Well first a grown up butterfly lays an egg and it goes a long way. Then the egg turns into a caterpillar and the caterpillar spins

a chrysalis. The most interesting part of the

Monarch butterfly is when the chrysalis transforms

into a butterfly.” – Anita (8)

Above: The first Monarch this year.

Illustration by Noah

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As an example, in the New Entrants room Mrs Holmes uses butterflies to teach the concept of symmetry. The children created colourful pictures of one side of a butterfly which they then folded while still wet, to create a symmetrical pattern on the other side.

The six-year-olds have been learning about Monarch butterflies and using this to scaffold their writing. They enjoyed creating butterflies using brightly coloured acrylic paint.

Adel: ”When the butterfly eat too much its tummy gets fat and it turns into chrysalis.”

Mercy : “When you put the butterfly on your hand it will die, because you might squash it.”

At age eight the children have all learned about the life cycle of a Monarch.

Nephi : “The caterpillar usually shreds its skin. So anytime it eats a leaf it shreds its skin so it can grow bigger.”

The school is looking forward to furthering their work with butterflies and especially to see New Zealand species thriving on their ecological island.

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Kings caring for butterflies

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For more information on butterfly gardening write to:

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KEY POINTS• Each species of butterfly or moth needs specific

host plants. Female adults will only lay eggs on

the species that their juvenile forms will eat.

• Research before you begin planting to

determine which plants to use and how

much space is required.

• Insecticides harm all stages of the butterfly cycle.

Try organic gardening and IPM (integrated pest

management). Seek out advice on the website of

the Moths and Butterflies New Zealand Trust.

• Sunny gardens attract the most butterflies so

plant nectar-rich flowers and host plants in

the sunniest part of the garden.

• Choose plants that will bloom at different times

throughout the year. Try experimenting with

a variety of plants that appeal to different

butterfly and moth species.

• Provide a sunny spot for basking and shelter

for the wind and rain.

• Nectar plants provide food for the adult

butterflies, while host plants feed caterpillars.

Some nectar plants are also host plants,

e.g. swan plants.

A COMPLETE GUIDE TOBUTTERFLY GARDENING

FORREST HILL 1 Forrest Hill Road, Ph 0800 752 687 HENDERSON 224 Universal Drive, Ph 836 9635HOWICK 280 Botany Road, Ph 273 8527REMUERA 236 Orakei Road, Ph 524 9400ST LUKES 118 Asquith Avenue, Ph 846 2141SILVERDALE Cnr East Coast Rd & Main Hway, Ph 426 0401

TAKAPUNA 11 Porana Road, Ph 443 2221TAKANINI 163 Airfield Road, Ph 298 8736

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SURE TO GROW GUARANTEE

For more information on butterfly gardening write to:Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand TrustPO Box 44100, Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246.Phone 09 551 3383www.monarch.org.nz

KEY POINTS• Each species of butterfly or moth needs specific host plants. Female adults will only lay eggs on the species that their juvenile forms will eat.• Research before you begin planting to determine which plants to use and how much space is required.• Insecticides harm all stages of the butterfly cycle. Try organic gardening and IPM (integrated pest management). Seek out advice on the website of the Moths and Butterflies New Zealand Trust. • Sunny gardens attract the most butterflies so plant nectar-rich flowers and host plants in the sunniest part of the garden.• Choose plants that will bloom at different times throughout the year. Try experimenting with a variety of plants that appeal to different butterfly and moth species.• Provide a sunny spot for basking and shelter for the wind and rain.• Nectar plants provide food for the adult butterflies, while host plants feed caterpillars. Some nectar plants are also host plants, e.g. swan plants.

Find your nearest store at www.kings.co.nz

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This milkweed is a native of Mexico but has been the most persistently

growing milkweed I’ve had. For the ten years or so I’ve had it it’s been growing in the same medium-sized pot as I neglected to care for it assuming it would die due to its scraggy appearance in its early days.

Having had two other milkweeds die out completely on me (Desert and Indian milkweeds) I assumed this one would be next as tropical country milkweeds have largely been untested in NZ. That was until it started getting quite big and then flowered rather beautifully so this winter I re-potted it into a more appropriately larger 40 litre container.

Looking at its root system when I re-potted it confirmed my suspicion that it was just container-bound as the root system was quite thick and needed to expand. The at times paltry growth on the surface can be quite deceptive.

Monarch caterpillars love to munch on this milkweed and the butterflies are not shy to lay eggs all over it once it’s been located, but this milkweed seems to thrive on being eaten down to the dirt, neglected by man (me) and just happily re-grows from its rhizome below the soil surface relatively quickly. It does go dormant (or at least slows down considerably) in winter so expect that to happen if you try to grow it.

Several of my other milkweeds have proven to be quite vulnerable to slugs, snails, drought, saturation etc when very young so I always grow them in pots for the first few years. This Nodding Milkweed has been no exception to that rule except that I accidentally transplanted some

Nodding Milkweed(Asclepias glaucescens) by Adam Browne

root material into my established garden for older milkweeds and this one somehow survived quite happily despite being at nature’s whim. It seems some plants just have

that knack of never giving up no matter what gets thrown at them. This milkweed reminds me of that weed mentality.

Nodding milkweed gets its name from its small bunches of flowers that bob up and down in the summer breeze. Bees love spending time

scraping out every last millimetre of nectar and pollen but alas I anticipate two genetically separate plants are needed to get seed pods to form as this milkweed also appears to be self incompatible fertilisation wise.

Please correct me if I’m wrong!

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Here’s something very exciting...

next year an amazing movie is coming to New Zealand. A Canadian epic (even if it is short), it tells two stories: that of a Monarch butterfly, its life history and journey to its overwintering site in Mexico, and intertwined with that narrative the story of Dr Fred Urquhart and how, through his persistence over many years, he finally discovered the overwintering sites in the mountains of Mexico. Urquhart finally worked out how he could tag the Monarchs to find out where they were going and then built up large teams of citizen scientists to help track the beautiful orange and black butterflies.

The film will have you mesmerised. Produced for the giant screen by Canadian company SK Films, it will only be shown on the big screen at Event Cinemas in Auckland, but it is scheduled to be here next year – and you get to hear about it first! We will be working with Event Cinemas to ensure that every school, and every gardening club, and everyone who loves Nature, knows that the film is coming.

Ellen saw the movie in Melbourne where it has been showing in a cinema attached to the Museum since March.

“It was our first 3D movie. The IMAX theatre screen was enormous, compared with normal movie screens. The forest scenes with millions of butterflies in flight were so realistic that you wanted to put your hands out to catch the butterflies!”

Tony and his family saw it in Vancouver. “We all loved it,” he said. “It was informative and yet kept our littlies enthralled the whole 45 minutes.”

Others who have seen the film say that the visuals are phenomenal. The producers have used every tool

available to them to ensure that the footage is really dramatic. It’s educational, but at the same time it’s entertaining. And of course, when it comes here, because of our love affair with Monarch butterflies, it’s going to be a huge hit here. We imagine that most primary schools will want to take groups to see the film. It will be even more meaningful to us because of our relationship with Monarch butterflies. No garden centre in the USA or

Canada would sell as much milkweed as we do (of swan plant) here in NZ. While we go out of our way to help Monarch butterflies many people in North America hardly give them a thought, possibly couldn’t even identify them: in North America garden centres need to be ‘specialists’ to have milkweed on sale.

“It is a story about human persistence, when others would have given up years earlier,” said Ellen. “It’s also a story about the wonders of the natural world. The butterflies deserve credit for their endurance in the face of overwhelming obstacles. The magnitude of the migration is mind boggling, and even the children in the theatre were stunned into silent appreciation.”

“We left feeling grateful that we have been able to witness such wonders here on the other side of the world.”

We know that you won’t be disappointed when you see the film. We will bring you more information in our next magazine and email updates about its scheduled arrival – and hopefully some special offers. We will also put updates on our website, www.monarch.org.nz.

FLIGHT of the ButterfliesFLIGHT of the ButterfliesWe were in Montreal and went to see it. It was enthralling. The

photography was amazing and the film really

informative about the life of the Monarch. It would be wonderful if the film could

be brought to New Zealand. We are happy to support

any efforts to do this.– Boyd and Colleen Squires, Auckland

“We’ve been twice!This film is excellent – entertainment and

educational in a single 45 minute presentation.

The discovery of where the butterflies went each year, now a matter of scientific

knowledge, is told in an easily understood re-enactment that soon has the viewer thoroughly involved. The

children enjoyed the realism of 3D, often standing and reaching out to touch the

Monarchs as they appeared to flutter within inches of the viewers. I found it difficult

not to do likewise.Thoroughly recommended to all members, families and friends irrespective

of your depth of butterfly knowledge.”

– David Jones, Wellington

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flightofthebutterfliesTwitter: @FOButterflies

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fobutterflies/Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/fobutterflies

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Story and photos by Jane Carver

Many moons ago when I was a child, our NZ Common Copper butterflies

were numerous and I would see them almost every day in central Wellington where I grew up. Now I get very excited if I see a Common Copper in my urban Palmerston North garden, and I have chased a few away with my sheer enthusiasm to keep their company. It was after one such session of chasing a Copper butterfly around the garden, camera in hand, that I made the decision to plant far more host plants for their larvae in the hope that I would see so many Copper butterflies that I would no longer feel compelled to harass each individual upon its arrival and would hopefully become blasé about them.

Muehlenbeckia is the host plant of

BRING IN THE COPPER BUTTERFLIESLet’s plant a Copper Butterfly Highway

Above: Female Common Copper.

Right: Muehlenbeckia astonii

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our Copper butterfly group, and there is surely room in every garden to plant at least one. Most of our New Zealand Copper butterflies don’t travel more than 50 metres or so from their host plants, so we ALL need to plant one or two Muehlenbeckia in order to make a Copper butterfly highway that stretches from beach and forest to car-park and townhouse. Even if you live in an apartment with no garden at all, you may have a tiny balcony on which you can put a pot of Muehlenbeckia.

I had planted a large M. astonii on our back section purely because it was on my top ten all time favourite plants. I love its cloud-like fluffy appearance when mature, and can’t resist its quirky angular purplish stems seen at their best in winter when most of the leaves vanish. This plant has the most endearing small green heart shaped leaves. Its tiny almost insignificant flowers are followed by tiny white fruits that are delicious if you have the patience to collect some.

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M. astonii is native to the Cook Strait area where it grows in wind-blown tight mounds that resist all the salt-laden foul gales that the straits can throw at them. If it can grow in Cook Strait it can grow at your place. Looking for a tough wind hardy hedge to shelter other plants? This is it!

M. axillaris is a dense groundcover with wiry stems and tiny dark green leaves. Commonly called Pohuehue, or wire vine, Muehlenbeckia axillaris will flower profusely during summer with masses of tiny cream flowers followed by loads of small

white opaque fruit. It spreads along the ground forming a dense groundcover which makes an excellent green carpet.

This is a semi-vigorous grower and will cover a couple of metres of ground in a few short years forming a lovely low dense mat on which you can show off other plants to best effect.

Although Muehlenbeckia is found naturally in dry riverbeds and rocky areas in the South Island and lower North Island it will grow in nearly all urban garden situations throughout the country that get some sun, and will even thrive in a pot. It is not fussy about great soil and will grow in your poorest ground.

M. complexa is a more vigorous and adventurous vine which will scramble up walls and down banks and if you have a difficult area to cover this plant might be your best friend.

M. australis is a natural local if you are in the Auckland/Waitakere area.

If you want to bring some Copper butterflies into your garden, then get planting this interesting group of plants and let’s try and make Common Coppers, once again ‘common’ in town.

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WebsiteThere are many improvements and enhancements going on to the website, but many are not evident to the casual observer. The forum runs more smoothly, photographs now appear in forum threads, and soon we will be uploading the data we have on other species enabling people to find host plants and identify our species much more easily.www.nzbutterflies.org.nz

TaurangaMary Parkinson has been at Palmers Garden Centre, Bethlehem talking about butterflies and has had two successful displays at Te Puna Quarry Park, the Quarryfest (3 November) and the earlier Artfest. Good

on you Mary, and your helpers. Norm Twigge went searching and found a Painted Lady... from which he was hoping to breed. For a while he thought his Painted Lady was a Painted Lad!

NelsonChrissie Ward is co-ordinating the MBNZT stand at the Growables in Nelson on Sunday, 17 November. Good one Chrissie.

After several years of requests we can now reveal the latest designs in our T-shirt collection. They’re awesome, very colourful and there’s now a wide range of styles and colours to choose from. See the artist’s impression (below) or the website www.nzbutterflies.printmighty.co.nz for more details.

All shirts bear the slogan ‘Flowers that Fly’ and our website url, and you can choose a different species of butterfly to support: Monarch, Red Admiral, Yellow

NapierJacqui’s mobile phone rings. It is someone who has hungry caterpillars and no plants. Thanks to mobile technology she is able to match up the person with someone in the general area who has food to spare. Sometimes it’s a phone call, sometimes it’s an email and at other times people leave requests on the internet. Their needs are usually satisfied within 24 hours.

BUTTERFLY T-SHIRTS FOR SALEAdmiral, the green Puriri Moth, Copper or Forest Ringlet. Other species will be introduced on demand. The women’s basic tee comes in nine different colours. They are 100% combed cotton and very comfortable to wear, with the round neck and short sleeves.

The polo style has the collar and placket opening and is slightly heavier weight, made from 100% cotton in a jersey knit. The men’s tee is a heavier quality 100% cotton fabric and like

the polo style, is available in six colourways: white, black, grey marle, red, green, navy.

Prices on our shirts are from $30.00 upwards and should be ordered on our on-line store www.nzbutterflies.printmighty.co.nz – or on the shop via our website. We will add more designs and garments (such as bags and caps) on demand – please contact trust@monarch.org.nz if you would like to see other lines.

MBNZT

Mary Parkinson

AucklandJacqui Knight (far right) has been at Palmer’s Planet, Albany on several occasions talking with gardeners about butterflies. She said it was great to talk to members and non-members. Some people have no idea of what butterflies are found in NZ and are excited to hear what they can do to help.

at work around the country10

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ChristchurchRedwood Primary School had three swan plants covered in aphids and a couple of dozen caterpillars. Thanks to Terraviva Garden Centre they have been gifted some plants to go on with and have received advice on how to deal with aphids. See the leaflet on our website, under Species/Pests/Aphids.

The Canterbury Horticulture Society is organising a Kidzone area at the

NationwideThere have been many sightings of Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi) butterflies over the past few months, being blown over the Tasman on the extraordinary winds. These butterflies are common in Australia – it is reported that in the late 1800s there were so many migrating on one occasion that railway engines couldn’t get traction on railway tracks!

Ellerslie International Flower Show next Feburary and has asked if the MBNZT will help them by providing an attraction. The show runs over five days. Bruce Smith has offered to co-ordinate a display depending on enough volunteers stepping up to help organise and be there supervising little hands for half- day stints over the course of the show. If you can help, please contact Bruce on (03) 355-2851.

Peter Worsp (right) from Terraviva Home

and Gardens, Wairakei Road, Christchurch

presented Noel Batstone of Redwood Primary School with

four swan plants, free of charge to aid the school and its many caterpillars. Thanks

Terraviva

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MBNZT founding trustee Jacqui Knight is the latest applicant to

have her garden or habitat certified. She has been interested in Monarch butterflies for many years but other species of Lepidoptera are a more recent innovation.

“My mother taught my brothers and me a lot about nature and gardening sixty or so years ago, and the interest has grown into a passion. I get a great amount of pleasure being in the outdoors... just from a glimpse of

wildflowers or the flit of an uncommon bird or insect,” she said.

Her interest was further stimulated when she became a mother herself, finding it rewarding exploring nature with her sons... and now grandchildren. When she moved to Blockhouse Bay in Auckland three years ago, to a small bungalow with a garden that hadn’t had a lot of attention for some years, she immediately saw a vision of a special butterfly garden.

“I just loved the challenge! Some areas just needed taming and there was so much potential to turn weeds into mulch or compost.”

From previous experience she knew that

a plan was in order so she downloaded a photo of the property using Google maps and used that as her plan, creating more informal paths and even more garden. There was a north-facing dry area against a fence: ideal for plants that didn’t need water such as tropical milkweed and nectar

sources like African daisies, Gazanias, Arctotis and marigolds.

“Then there is an area which I’m developing for natives and I’m trying to recycle as much as my grey water as I

can,” she said. “I’m really interested in xeroscaping – reducing the

garden’s dependence on added water.”

The habitat was recently approved by long-term

member and former trustee, Beverley

Sinclair, and Angela Moon-Jones. Beverley

noted that a new butterfly-shaped garden has been planted

A BUTTERFLY GARDENA BUTTERFLY GARDENfor all creaturesgreat and smallfor all creaturesgreat and smallPhotos by Angela Moon-JonesPhotos by Angela Moon-Jones

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out in colourful nectar sources to attract butterflies and bees.

“As the plants are self seeding it will need little attention apart from weeding,” Beverley noted. “Four types of milkweed plants grow throughout the property and some are planted beside Buddleias and other shrubs to offer protection for caterpillars from wasps.”

Nettles for Admirals, and host plants for Blues, Coppers, Magpie Moths and Cabbage Whites: the garden will be a hive of activity in the summer. The property is sheltered on most sides by either trees or fences and a green-house is also used for the protection of caterpillars from predators and parasites. A compost bin plus ‘wildlife

motels’ (for skinks and hedgehogs etc) accommodate garden waste.

“I’m interested in nectar plants and not fussed about weeds growing if they provide nectar,” said Jacqui. “There are two points which fascinate me about nectar sources: what works in one garden may not be good in another – so much can depend on what else is flowering nearby. And the best nectar plants are those that are closest to weeds and not the latest designer plants as they have so often had the nectar bred out of them, sad to say. Our pollinator insects are really missing out.”

“Jacqui is continually adding more gardens to her property and has made an ideal haven for wildlife in a chemical-

free environment,” said Beverley. “It is a credit to her for the huge amount she has achieved in the time since she has lived there.”

“It’s a delightful garden full of fun and humour,” added Angela. “Her passion clearly shows through with fun butterfly signs, cheerful butterfly ornaments and a colourful butterfly-shaped garden offering nectar. A perfect example to inspire many other backyard conservationists to create their own butterfly habitats and enjoy nature at its best.”

Although it’s not a public space, Jacqui welcomes visitors to her garden, by appointment, especially school groups.

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John Real Smith, from Opunake approached us some months ago with the idea of creating a habitat for a Billion Butterflies.

“The Opunake Butterfly Club came about after visiting the bank manager at ANZ. He had just given us the low down on our mortgage: I thought there must be a better way to enrich our lives without money,” he said.

Since then, John has completed a Create Butterfly Habitat course, and has received his certificate. He’s now liaising with the South Taranaki District Council about an area in King Street which is an overwintering colony.

John said “The King of Butterflies in Opunake is Rex Langton who planted swan plants outside his property on the lakeside walkway.

The Queen Butterfly Claire lives upstream from the lake on the edge of the butterflies’ wintering site. Tall Canadian Pine trees next to the Waiau River shelter them from the southwest and northeast winds.

Butterfly Princes and Princesses walk the streets, proud of their prominence. Children are talking butterflies. Opunake High School pupils have germinated swan plants as part of their Horticulture course. Butterflies featured in ‘The Hobbit’ movie.

Everywhere you go, butterflies are appearing for real or as souvenirs and bookmarks. The intention is to have tourists visit Taranaki and Opunake to see the butterflies. Everybody who you talk to has had a butterfly experience and it just clicks with them. The message has travelled by word of mouth, the internet, and by planting a seed.

We are incorporating the concept of one square metre of garden being swan plants. That will make a significant difference. Recycling Anchor milk cartons from Sugar Juice Cafe containing a mixture of Taranaki soil, river sand and swan plants: Milk Weed. Take-Away.

Winter has been a great time to get organised with all the materials and to learn as much as possible about Monarch butterflies. Becoming a new member of the MBNZT has made the whole exercise that much more exciting; knowing that there is a larger support network to discuss ideas.

The beauty of the idea is that it is free.Anyone visiting Opunake is welcome to catch us enjoying

our environment, working and playing next to the river, the lake, ocean and Mount Taranaki.”

TalesTHREE TARANAKI

John Real Smith

Top right: Spotswood Primary School in New Plymouth love their Monarchs.

Above: They created a colourful enviroschool sign. Each class made one letter, and Mrs

Smythe’s class, passionate about butterflies, used the Monarch as their symbol.

Right: The children gather around their surviving swan plant.

Glenn Hansen, Community Development Advisor at the South Taranaki District Council is working with a group responsible for a major clean up and re-establishment of Soldiers Park in Eltham. They want to create an area for swan plants so that the local school children can see Monarch butterflies, and have received suggestions from the MBNZT.

Sportswood Primary School

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Photography Tip

DID YOU KNOW?A male Monarch butterfly (3) is identified by the two scent pouches on its hindwings which don’t appear on the females (4). Females also have thicker veins on their wings. But did you know that you can sex the chrysalis before a Monarch butterfly comes out?

The one photographed above (1) is a male. If you look at the pupa closely you can see a series of circles called abdominal sternites. You will also see two lines of black dots extending down from the cremaster (the stem on which the chrysalis hangs). The ring next to the 9th sternite, just below the black dots,

will have a line dissecting it if the Monarch is a female as shown in the close-up (5). If there is no line, its a male!

1. Male pupa. 2. Monarch caterpillars; 3. Male Monarch by Darren Gedye;

4. Female Monarch by Darren Gedye; 5. Female pupa by Edith Smith.

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Photographs of different stages of butterflies can be made really interesting. The close up of the chrysalis (1) was taken with an iPhone! The dew was still on it. Have fun with a macro setting to get a completely different slant on your insects!

Another photo shows several different Monarch caterpillars (2) in various instars (or stages) plus a pupa.

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Caterpillar castlesThis is what you need to protect your Monarch caterpillars.

Five sides have fine mesh 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 caterpillars.

Collapsible, lightweight and durable, they fold flat for storage or to be washed. You can use 10% bleach solution to sanitise before reuse.

The fine mesh protects your caterpillars from wasps and other predators. The fabric wicks away moisture to keep contents dry.

LARGE castles (33cm x 33cm x 60cm) are a good size for 10-20 caterpillars. Cost (including post & packing) is $33 for financial members and $38 for non-financial members.

JUMBO castles (60cm x 60cm x 90cm) make excellent flight cages ñ you can leave your butterflies in there (up to 100) with nectar flowers until there is a fine day. $60 for financial members, $65 for non-financial.

Caterpillar castles are awesome. No more escaping caterpillars! No more heartache due to predators!

GOODIES TO BUYGREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR XMAS

CalendarStunning photographs and information about NZ’s butterflies and moths. Each month has a full A4 page, showing holidays and with room to write special appointments. The 2014 calendar is now available – get them now while there are some left. Each calendar comes with its own envelope ready to post to friends or family for only $15 each (includes P&P). These are available NOW.

The Monarch ButterflyGeorge Gibbs’ “THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY” is only $29 (includes P&P). This is an essential item for any backyard nature enthusiast, whatever the age. With great colour photographs it has all you need to know if you’re raising Monarchs in captivity or the garden.

You can order items by sending your order and cheque payment to: MBNZT, PO Box 44100, Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246Or pay by internet banking into the MBNZT account – Kiwibank 38-9009-0654693-00 and send an email to treasurer@monarch.org.nz with details of your order, your name and delivery address.

Your purchase supports the Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust

TO PLACE AN ORDER

Common Blue (Zizina otis labradus), Photograph by Cathy Casey.

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May 2014Common Blue Zizina otis labradusPhotograph by Cathy Casey

This little butterfly is possibly one of our most common butterflies, frequenting roadsides, riverbeds, lakesides, grasslands and gardens, but its small size and ground level flight means it is often overlooked. The foodplants include legumes, lotus and trefoils and several clovers, so this little butterfly has been given a reputation as a minor pest of pastures and clovers. An Australian butterfly, the species gained a foothold in NZ when the European settlers cleared forests and established farming practices and pastures. The male of the species exhibits a brilliant blue hue on its upper surface, while the female is a somewhat drab slate-grey colouring.

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Wingspan 20-27 mm

Start of Term 2

NEWAdmiral EggsWe are now able to supply Admiral eggs. For more information visit our website – www.nzbutterflies.org.nz