Butterflies of New Zealand facts for kids

New Zealand is home to many beautiful butterflies. You can find twelve special kinds that live only in New Zealand (these are called endemic species). There are also butterflies that have been brought here by people, and others that fly here from different countries. Butterflies and moths belong to a group of insects called Lepidoptera. This group is the third largest insect order in New Zealand!

Meet New Zealand's Butterflies

New Zealand has many different types of butterflies. Some are native, meaning they've been here for a long time. Others are visitors or have been introduced by people.

Native Butterflies

New Zealand has several unique butterflies that you won't find anywhere else in the world.

The boulder copper butterfly (Lycaena boldenarum) loves rocky places.

• Copper Butterflies: There are a few types of copper butterflies, like the boulder copper (Lycaena boldenarum). These small, bright butterflies are often found in open, sunny areas. The common copper (Lycaena salustius) and glade copper (Lycaena feredayi) are also native. They are all called pepe para riki in Māori.

The New Zealand red admiral (Vanessa gonerilla) is a striking native butterfly.

• Admirals: The New Zealand red admiral (Vanessa gonerilla) is a very well-known native butterfly. It has striking red bands on its dark wings. Its Māori name is kahu kura. There's also a special type of red admiral found only on the Chatham Islands. The yellow admiral (Vanessa itea) is another native beauty, known as kahu kowhai.

The black mountain ringlet (Percnodaimon merula) lives high in the mountains.

• Ringlets and Tussocks: These butterflies often have more muted colours, blending in with their surroundings. The black mountain ringlet (Percnodaimon merula), or pepe pouri, lives in high, rocky mountain areas. The forest ringlet (Dodonidia helmsii) is another native butterfly that lives in forests and is sadly facing a serious decline in numbers. The common tussock (Argyrophenga antipodum) is often found in grassy tussock lands.

The common tussock (Argyrophenga antipodum) blends in with its grassy home.

• Blue Butterflies: The southern blue (Zizina oxleyi) is a small, pretty blue butterfly that is endemic to New Zealand.

Introduced and Migrant Butterflies

Some butterflies have made their way to New Zealand from other places.

• White Butterfly: The white butterfly (Pieris rapae) is a very common sight in gardens. It was introduced to New Zealand and is known as pepe ma in Māori.
• Monarch Butterfly: The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), or kahuku, is another well-known butterfly that was introduced to New Zealand. It's famous for its bright orange and black wings.
• Long-tailed Blue: The long-tailed blue (Lampides boeticus) is a native butterfly that likely flew here on its own.
• Migrant Butterflies: New Zealand also gets visitors from other countries, especially Australia. These include the Australian painted lady (Vanessa kershawi), the blue moon (Hypolimnas bolina nerina), and the lesser wanderer (Danaus petilia). These butterflies fly across the Tasman Sea to reach New Zealand. Some, like the lemon emigrant (Catopsilia pomona), are very rare visitors.

Butterfly Conservation

We don't know much about butterflies that might have disappeared since people first settled in New Zealand. Butterflies don't leave many clues behind. Most of New Zealand's insects live in forests. So, it's possible that some butterfly species became extinct when large areas of forest were cleared after humans arrived. Protecting their homes, especially forests and native plants, is very important for the future of New Zealand's butterflies.