Kiwis care about butterflies

Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust

www.monarch.org.nz

PRESS RELEASE
for immediate release

Kiwis care about butterflies

The Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust has been overwhelmed by the response from New Zealanders who care about Nature and the outdoors.

“We have had an absolutely amazing result from the reports in recent media,” said Shelley Gifford, Chair of the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust.”

“New Zealanders are showing that they too are desperate for information as to how they can help both the Monarch and other Lepidoptera species. I have just returned from Britain where I was in awe of both the variety of insect life and the work that groups are doing there to encourage butterfly habitat – and I think NZ will follow suit.”

Over the past four days, almost one thousand New Zealanders have advised the Trust of butterfly habitat, or where they are scarce.

Dr Peter Maddison from Field Studies investigated one of the key Monarch overwintering sites last winter, and discovered that the Monarch butterflies do not overwinter there any more.

“Historical data shows that thousands of Monarch butterflies used to overwinter there,” he said. “When I was there, at a time you would expect Monarchs to be nectaring, I saw six, There are various reasons why – and they are fully documented in my report.”

As a consequence, Trust members are tagging 10,000 Monarchs this autumn so that their flight-path to overwintering sites might be indicated.

“The more we learn about Monarch behaviour in NZ, the more we can do to protect our insect life, so critical to the environment.”

Brian Patrick, lepidopterist, has also been investigating NZ’s butterfly life this summer, and has discovered butterflies previously undescribed.

“While new butterflies are being discovered – especially in alpine regions which could be affected by global warming – butterflies at lower altitudes are being reduced as their habitat is degraded,” he said. “This means that more butterfly species are threatened.”

He said that no butterfly is safe.

“Even the supposedly widespread alpine species are threatened with loss of habitat through global warming and changes in farming management.”

Early in March Brian Patrick climbed 1700m to find Butler’s Ringlet or Erebiola butleri.

“It’s one of our most enigmatic species – locally common at Brewster Hut near Haast Pass, 1450 metres above sea level” he said. “What a great sight.”

Meanwhile New Zealanders are being encouraged to continue recording sightings of butterflies on the website of the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust.

“Particularly useful at this time of year are records of large groups of Monarchs, so we can find their overwintering sites,” Shelley said. “and also where our tagged butterflies are noticed.”

More information can be found on the website, www.monarch.org.nz.

ENDS

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