Butterflies of New Zealand facts for kids
The butterflies of New Zealand include twelve endemic species, as well as several introduced and migrant species. Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths, is the third largest insect order in New Zealand.
Species list
boulder copper (Lycaena boldenarum)
red admiral (Vanessa gonerilla)
black mountain ringlet (Percnodaimon merula)
common tussock (Argyrophenga antipodum)
| Scientific name | Local English name | Māori name | Native/introduced/migrant | Conservation status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) | lemon emigrant | very rare migrant | ||
| Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758) | white butterfly | pepe ma | introduced | |
| Lycaena boldenarum White, 1862 | boulder copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | |
| Lycaena salustius (Fabricius, 1793) | common copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | |
| Lycaena feredayi (Bates, 1867) | glade copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | |
| Lycaena rauparaha (Fereday, 1877) | Rauparaha's copper | mokarakare | native, endemic | |
| Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) | long-tailed blue | native (self-introduced) | ||
| Zizina otis labradus (Godart, 1824) | common blue | pepe ao uri | native or possibly introduced | |
| Zizina oxleyi (C. & R. Felder, 1865) | southern blue | native, endemic | ||
| Tirumala hamata hamata (MacLeay, 1826) | Australian blue tiger | very rare migrant | ||
| Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) | monarch | kahuku | introduced | |
| Danaus petilia (Stoll, 1790) | lesser wanderer | rare migrant | ||
| Junonia villida calybe Godart, 1819 | Australian meadow argus | very rare migrant | ||
| Hypolimnas bolina nerina (Fabricius, 1775) | blue moon | regular migrant | ||
| Vanessa itea (Fabricius, 1775) | yellow admiral | kahu kowhai | native | |
| Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla (Fabricius, 1775) | [New Zealand] red admiral | kahu kura | native, endemic | |
| Vanessa gonerilla ida (Alfken, 1899) | Chatham Island red admiral | kahu kura | native, endemic | |
| Vanessa kershawi (McCoy, 1868) | Australian painted lady | pepe parahua | regular migrant | |
| Melanitis leda bankia (Fabricius, 1775) | evening brown | very rare migrant | ||
| Percnodaimon merula (Hewitson, 1875) | black mountain ringlet | pepe pouri | native, endemic | |
| Erebiola butleri Fereday, 1879 | Butler's ringlet | pepe pouri | native, endemic | |
| Dodonidia helmsii Butler, 1884 | forest ringlet | native, endemic | serious decline | |
| Argyrophenga antipodum Doubleday, 1845 | common tussock | native, endemic | ||
| Argyrophenga harrisi Craw, 1978 | Harris's tussock | native, endemic | ||
| Argyrophenga janitae Craw, 1978 | Janita's tussock | native, endemic |
Conservation
Very little is known about any butterfly extinctions since human settlement of New Zealand since they leave few remains. The majority of New Zealand invertebrates are found in forests, so it is possible that some butterflies became extinct due to the large scale forest clearance after human settlement.
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Butterflies of New Zealand Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.