ISSUE 19 | SUMMER 2016-2017

Valuable $100 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: AWARD WINNER | RAE HERD REMEMBERED | WHAT TO DO ABOUT 2 lowest numbers ever this past summer. Their members are involved in From the “Big Counts” each summer. Sadly, due to lack of EDITOR resources we have had to postpone our Big s I write I have been Backyard Butterfly Count reviewing internet-based until 2018. We believe CONTENTS A posts from Monarch Watch (USA) that we will be better able to promote Cover photo: Brian Patrick and Butterfly Conservation (UK). Both the BBBC to non-members, raising organisations express alarm at what awareness of our organisation at 2 is happening with the world’s butterfly the same time, if we have enough Editorial populations. support and funding. 3 In North America it’s the decline in However, we have great news as Sir Winston Churchill natural habitat along the migration we put this issue together: Lottery Fellowship path for monarchs making their way Environment & Heritage have helped from Canada to their overwintering with funds for the Forest Ringlet 4 The $100 MOTH habitat in Mexico. In Britain they Project which will begin this summer. report that once familiar species We are keen to find out why this 5 Moth Net such as the gatekeeper, comma and beautiful endemic butterfly, the small copper have recorded their only one of its species, is in serious 6 Spring Shows decline. You will find more about this project on the following pages. 7 Remembering Rae Herd You’ll find out about the $100 moth, the beautiful displays at our Spring 8-9 Butterfly Gardening Shows (see picture). We share sad Aotearoa news about the loss of member Rae Herd and there’s a fascinating series 10-11 Breeding Silkworms of photos of beautiful silk worms… but wait there’s more. 12 Inspector Insector If you raise monarchs you’ll be dismayed to read about the latest 13 Flight of the which has arrived in NZ (and how you can protect your caterpillars from it), 14 Saving The Forest Ringlet and another disease which can wipe out hundreds of caterpillars almost 15 Did You Know? overnight. We have some practical tips for you. And on a happier note, 16 Shop we have some wonderful and highly original gift suggestions for this time of the year. I’m sure you’ll find the summer issue of our magazine as useful and interesting as earlier ones.

Patron: Sir Robert Harvey, KNZM, QSO A Big Thank you to our Sponsors Editor/Secretary: Jacqui Knight Platinum Sponsors [email protected] Graphic Designer: Jai Pancha, [email protected] Treasurer: Carol Stensness [email protected] Advertising: Angela Moon-Jones [email protected] ISSN 2324-1993 (Print) Silver Sponsors ISSN 2324-2000 (Online) Published by: and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust, PO Box 44100 Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246 www.nzbutterflies.org.nz [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/mbnzt Magazine Sponsors mbnztorg pinterest.com/mbnzt mothsandbutterfliesnztrust

Printed in New Zealand on Cocoon 100% Gubba recycled paper using vegetable-based inks WINSTON CHURCHILL 3 acqui Knight, founder of the Zealanders to travel overseas, MBNZT, has been awarded a to learn from others and study FELLOWSHIP J grant from The Winston Churchill topics that will help them to Memorial Trust to travel to North America increase their contribution to the and investigate conservation measures community, and advance their trade, being put in place for the monarch industry, profession or business. butterfly: educational initiatives, habitat Fellows return to New Zealand protection, addressing water quality and with inspiration, new networks, conservation etc. and knowledge that supports and The fellowship was created was develops their leadership skills within established in 1965 at the time of Sir their field of interest. Winston’s death. He believed that Jacqui has had a lifelong interest in world peace and greater international butterflies – especially the monarch understanding could – and is particularly be promoted through concerned at how the ordinary people travelling habitat in Mexico and to other countries and numbers migrating have experiencing other declined over the years. cultures. Sir Winston New Zealanders from all was known to have sectors, regions, ethnicities been passionate about and cultures are invited to butterflies and found apply for a fellowship. them an ideal way Since it was established to relax. Each year by awarding about 900 Fellowships and learning Churchill Fellowships, the WCMT opportunities have been awarded to provides ordinary New Zealanders New Zealanders. More information with extraordinary opportunities. about this opportunity can be found Churchill Fellowships assist New on www.communitymatters.govt.nz.

EVERY BIT EXTRAORDINARY 4 and fortunately comes readily to light. I was able to show students from schools all over the South Island recently at a THE $100 Landcare Research workshop at Orokonui Sanctuary, part of the MothNet programme, which aims to monitor ecosystem health in our forests using data from the light trapping of moths. It is an ambitious but realistic programme that was kicked off at MOTH Orokonui in late October by By Brian Patrick – along with a compelling story leader Dr Barbara Anderson. n 1992, as the Department of and justification. A few weeks later The genus Declana (Family Conservation’s Advisory Scientist for security staff from the Reserve bank Geometridae: ) contains IOtago Conservancy, I was asked by arrived in my office with the plates in at least twelve species, all endemic the Reserve Bank to nominate an a suitcase securely attached to their to NZ. Ten of them are described to complement wrist. along with at least two undescribed the mōhua - The South Island species. Nelson-based John yellowhead on zebra moth is Dugdale, retired Landcare Research the new $100 widespread over moth taxonomist, is currently revising note. What an both Stewart and the the genus. opportunity I was South Island where It is a stunning genus of moths given! it lives in lowland to with one day-flying orange species Maybe they montane moist forest in the alpine zone (D. glacialis), one were thinking of up to 600 metres. extremely variable and common a lizard or bat but I showed my bias Its cryptic larvae, which when species found nationwide (D. in putting forward a moth, which like curled up resemble bird dropping, floccosa) that has adapted to the mōhua (yellowhead) was confined feed exclusively on Pseudopanax modified environments and has to the South Island forests. I supplied particularly three-finger P. colensoi polyphagous larvae, and many other an image of the gorgeous South and five-finger P. arboreum. The attractive species specialised to Island zebra moth – Declana egregia adult moth is stunning in appearance certain species of our flora.

Encourage

Declans egregia at rest Brian Patrick into your garden Check out our BUTTERFLY BEAUTIES selection or choose from a variety of seeds that the butterflies will just love.

[email protected]

0800 GERMINATE www.kingsseeds.co.nz D. egregia photo by Brian Patrick elements of our biodiversity. We 5 have good knowledge of both their connections with the native flora and Learning about different landscapes and our special ecosystems nationwide.” (butterflies and moths) is the third largest group of MOTHS in NZ with over 2000 known species. 92% of NZ’s moths are endemic, i.e. found nowhere else in the world. Their largely nocturnal behaviour means moths are often overlooked. Their short life-cycle and good mobility mean their distributions often show clear geographic relationships with measurable environmental factors. Despite the many unique and intriguing moth species in NZ there is only a small number of professional lepidopterists. Accordingly, we know relatively little about the distribution of moths, moth ecology or the potential impacts of artificial light on them. Each species has specific food and environmental requirements which it needs to survive. Important environmental factors for moths are food-plants, nectar sources, temperature, humidity, and wind speed. MothNet is based at Orokonui Ecosanctuary 20 kms north of Dunedin, where 307 hectares of coastal Otago forest has been protected from predators. Pests have been removed, habitat

Tmetolophota propria enhanced with weed control

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Meterana tartarea Tmetolophota unica annulata excellent resources on coeleno osa Meterana Meterana viƟ Geometridae their website, including Meterana diatmeta Rhapsa scotosialis

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raria MeteranaAustrocidaria decorata cedrinod four publications in English Meterana coeleno es Story By Jacqui Knight & Asaphodes abrogata Elvia glaucata Meterana exquisita and whānau are Austrocidaria gobiata and Te Reo identifying moths Helas Meterana grandiosa Epicyme rubropunctaria Ɵ a cinerearia Photos: Sharon Pendlebury Asaphodes aegro ta given the skills, Austrocidaria paro of the South Island. They ra Helas Asaphodes chlamydo Epyaxa lucidata Ɵ a corcularia

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funded by a grant from Ministry connections Declana leptomera to every school around the Asaphodes clarata Gellonia dejectaria

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Declana of Business, Innovation and to run a Asaphodes prasinias  occosa South Island and then the Helas Ɵ a plumbea Helas Ɵ a chris M Ɵ nae Employment under Curious Minds, a nationally NoctuidaeDeclana toreuta rest of the country. Look here Hydriomena deltoid Graphania phricias Graphania lignana ata BitylaHorisme de gurata suppressaria programme encouraging and enabling significant AgroƟ s admiraƟ onis for the resources. Hydriomena rixata Graphania plena

Bityla sericea Graphania morosa better engagement with science and scientific AgroƟ s infusa http://tinyurl.com/m0thnet Graphania rubescens

DipausƟ ca epiastra Graphania lithias technology across all sectors of NZ. It is experiment. AgroƟ s ipsilon Hopefully, MothNet will be

Graphania prionisƟ s Graphania mutans Graphania chlorodonta being led by Dr Barbara Anderson from Schools have AleƟ a cucullina AleƟ a moderata expanded Nation wide. We

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Graphania usƟ striga Graphania insignis Graphania omoplaca links between biodiversity, ecosystem moth traps around AleƟ a virescens an initiative. services and protected areas. Dr Robert their properties Andesia pessota Graphania infensa Graphania paracausta Helicoverpa armigera Hoare, one of this country’s leading and classifying taxonomists, and Brian Patrick, advisor the different moths caught in them. to the MBNZT on biodiversity, are also Some traps are set in artificial light involved. while others are in the dark, to see The project is a collaboration how this impacted on moth numbers. between Landcare Research, Ngāi “Moths are underappreciated but Tahu, Orokonui Eco-sanctuary, an essential and highly responsive the Geography Department and part of our ecosystem,” Brian Te Tumu (University of Otago) plus Patrick said. “I have been studying various schools, teachers, students moths since I was a young boy and communities from across the and I am thrilled that at long last South Island. Teachers, students they’re taking their place as exciting 6 SPRING SHOWS he Auckland Better Home and Living Show was held at the North TShore Events Centre at the end of October, bringing with it the latest on how to improve our homes and our lifestyles. More than a thousand nectar- producing flowering plants graced the stand of the MBNZT but sadly the live butterflies in the gazebo did not happen. Spring was not conducive to raising butterflies and although it was hoped to have a number of them free-flying inside the gazebo, we made do with other delights for the visitors. Fortunetellers (or chatterboxes) specially printed for the event were a very popular giveaway with facts and figures about monarch butterflies and the offer of free swan plant seed. One highlight was being visited by 9-year-old Sylvie Poyner (pictured) who has been helping the MBNZT on a project. Our many thanks to all the you, thank you. volunteers who helped set up and break Another colourful display with dozens down the stands, as well as talking with of monarchs was a great hit at the the public at the event. We could NOT Festival of Roses in Parnell. St Kentigern have done it without you all. Then there College students helped children were people who lined up to buy our and parents understand more about plants after the event, helping us recoup butterflies and their benefits. some of the outlay. Thank you, thank The season has started! Kings caring for

SURE TO GROW GUARANTEE Temquissit eum voluptat arunt ressed quam rem. Anda sit que velendita id minvend ignimus. Ro For more information on butterfly gardening write to: mincia doloriste verspiciat eaqui cum dolorep Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust udisit ea quia dolum labo. PO Box 44100,SURE Pt Chevalier, TO GROW Auckland 1246. Phone 09 GUARANTEE551 3383 www.monarch.org.nz KINGS VIP CLUB A COMPLETE GUIDE TO Temquissit eum voluptat arunt ressed quam rem. Join the Kings VIP Club to receive our butterfliesAnda sit que velendita id minvend ignimus. Ro newsletters, VIP exclusive specials, BUTTERFLY GARDENING KEY POINTSmincia doloriste verspiciat eaqui cum dolorep competitions and discount vouchers • Each speciesudisit of ea butterfly quia dolum or mothlabo. needs specific A COMPLETE GUIDE TO host plants. Female adults will only lay eggs on BUTTERFLY GARDENING the species that their juvenile forms will eat. VISIT YOUR LOCAL KINGS For more information on butterfly gardening write to:• Research beforeKINGS you begin VIP planting CLUB to Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust determine which plants to use and h FORREST HILL Join the Kings VIP Club to receive our 1 Forrest Hill Road, Ph 0800 752 687 PO Box 44100, Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246. much space is required. ow HENDERSON newsletters, VIP exclusive specials, 224 Universal Drive, Ph 836 9635 Phone 09 551 3383 • Insecticides harm all stages of the butterfly cycle. HOWICK competitions and discount vouchers 280 Botany Road, Ph 273 85 www.monarch.org.nz Try organic gardening and IPM (integrated pest REMUERA 236 Orakei Road, Ph 524 940027 management). Seek out advice on the website of ST LUKES Visit Kings Plant Barn – pick up 118 Asquith Avenue, Ph 846 2141 the Moths and Butterflies New Zealand Trust. SILVERDALE ecific Cnr East Coast Rd & Main Hway, Ph 426 0401 KEY POINTS • Sunny gardensVISIT attract the YOURmost butterflies LOCAL KINGSTAKAPUNA 11 Porana Road, Ph 443 2221 • Each species of butterfly or moth needs sp plant nectar-rich flowers and host1 Forrest plants Hill in Road, Ph 0800 752TAKANINI 687 FORREST HILL so 163 Airfield Road, Ph 298 8736 host plants. Female adults will only lay eggs on 224 Universal Drive, Ph 836 9635 the sunniest partHENDERSON of the garden. the species that their juvenile forms will eat.• 280 Botany Road, Ph 273 8527 Choose plants thatHOWICK will bloom at different tim • Research before you begin planting to 236 Orakei Road, Ph 524 9400 throughout the year.REMUERA Try experimenting with es determine which plants to use and how 118 Asquith Avenue, Ph 846 2141OPEN 7 DAYS a variety of plantsST that LUKES appeal to different much space is required. butterfly and moth species. Cnr East Coast Rd & Main Hway,Call Ph 4260800 0401 PLANTS a FREE copy of your ButterflySILVERDALE • Insecticides harm all stages of the butterfly• cycle. 11 Porana Road, Ph 443 2221 Provide a sunny spotTAKAPUNA for basking and shelter www.kings.co.nz Try organic gardening and IPM (integrated pest 163 Airfield Road, Ph 298 8736 for the wind and rain.TAKANINI management). Seek out advice on the website• Nectar of plants provide food for the adult the Moths and Butterflies New Zealand Trust.butterflies, while host plants feed caterpillars. • Sunny gardens attract the most butterfliesSome so nectar plants are also host plants, plant nectar-rich flowers and host plants e.g.in swan plants. OPEN 7 DAYS the sunniest part of the garden. Call 0800 PLANTS • Choose plants that will bloom at different times Garden Guide and checkthroughout the year. Try experimenting with outwww.kings.co.nz 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, our huge range of butterflye.g. swan plants. attracting plants.

Kings proudly supporting The Moths and Butterflies Find your nearest store at www.kings.co.nz of New Zealand Trust 7 RememberingRAE HERD

By Chrissie Ward ew Zealand agriculture owes a Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust, as it glass. debt of gratitude to Rae Herd, was then. Between 2008 and 2013, Rae’s sharp eyes and enquiring Nwho died on 15 September 2016 local members regularly organised mind were inspirational; it was a aged 85. It was Rae who sparked the stands at gardening events in privilege to have known her. biosecurity alert over the large white Nelson. Although Rae was the butterfly, Pieris brassicae, which had the oldest volunteer, she was potential to cause serious damage to the most enthusiastic and brassica crops and native cresses. knowledgeable. She knew Rae raised the alarm in June 2010 an astonishing amount about when her brother Neil Herd told her all insects, not just moths that he’d noticed some unusual and butterflies, and delighted caterpillars on the nasturtiums in in sharing this information his Nelson garden. Rae realised that with others. they were something new to this A visit to Rae’s home was country. She initially contacted local always an adventure. Her lepidopterist John Dugdale, whose study was obstructed by suspicions were confirmed by MAF ‘castles’ containing feeding experts. The caterpillars were indeed or pupating monarchs and P. brassicae. So began an intensive admirals, and you never knew campaign by various agencies, and what interesting little creature after six years the large whites have she might have found in her been eradicated. garden and would urge you to Rae Herd Rae was a founder member of the examine with her magnifying

Janine Thompson, and her husband JANINE’S CREATIONS Gordon, run Earthlore near Owaka, an education centre focussing on native insects including butterflies and moths. Janine is also a talented craftsperson, producing free-hand machine embroidery using applique scraps, netting and cottons. Her pieces include large and small bags and felt brooches with hand embroidered insects on them. Pictured are some of her creations. 8 Butterfly gardening AOTEAROA Julie Laird of Matapouri Kathryn McIntyre of the Tutukaka is blessed with sandy soil and an Coast abundance of swan plants ‘popping up has seen many monarchs, eggs and everywhere’. She intends to pot off some caterpillars on the swan plants in her and distribute to fellow members of the garden over the last three weeks. Tutukaka Garden Club. She hatched She grows swan plants in several several chrysalises inside over the winter, places around her property to maximise picking the leaf the caterpillar had chosen the attraction of monarchs and minimise and taping it to a shelf in the kitchen. the concentration of pests. She has “What a delight to watch them hatch planted seedlings as well as broadcast and then release them outside.” seeds, both approaches producing good Now, she always seems to have three results. She is also sprouting new plants or four monarchs flying about the garden. in pots. Julie says she ‘has a little chuckle Kathryn has successfully hatched eggs when I see swan plants coming up in all by picking leaves and keeping them in Elizabeth Harrison from the Sandpit my neighbours’ gardens’. More plants flower vials in a caterpillar house free of protects caterpillars from wasps by means more food, more caterpillars, more wasps and praying mantises. Then she removing swan plant stems as soon monachs! introduces the caterpillar to a host as a new caterpillar is seen. She puts Monarch o The cold snap in n Jo plant. With over 50 caterpillars these in a sheltered place where wasps e P Northland this spring ye in the caterpillar house are not likely to find it. w e has been beneficial to e now it is a twice a day “It is important to provide additional the caterpillars, she d chore to clean up their stems of plant to keep the caterpillars notes. waste. well fed. Putting the whole bundle “I have not “But what fun of stems in a bottle of water keeps seen a wasp for to watch the the stems green and viable until the days! I do try caterpillars grow caterpillars form their chrysalis.” to sneak up on and see the first She cautions against putting the leaf them and am chrysalis last bundles indoors or in any place that quite successful week!” will become unsightly because there in squashing The monarchs will be an accumulation of unsightly them between two in Kathryn’s garden waste matter expelled by caterpillars flat stones once love the bottlebrush as they grow. they land on a leaf, and hebes, as well as “Our monarch population seems to or taking off my jandals African daisy (Arctotis), be stable and/or growing using this and doing the same.” dahlias and Marlborough technique,” she reports. rock daisies. Marlborough By Bernard Spragg ROCK DAISY he Marlborough rock daisy or Pachystegia insignis is a plant equally at home in native, Tcottage and formal gardens. A member of the Asteraceae family of plants, this NZ native is a low-growing, hardy plant with spectacular white daisy-like flowers during summer and impressive seed heads in autumn. It looks especially good in mass plantings and in pots. The Marlborough rock daisy thrives in full sun in well-drained soil and is often found in rocky coastal areas such as along the Kaikoura coastline. Its leathery, green leaves with felted edges and undersides make it ideal for windy, coastal gardens and bluffs. It can withstand substantial drought but does better with adequate water. Plants will grow in limey soil and are salt and frost resistant. The daisy can grow up to a metre high and a metre wide. What's more, monarchs love it! Jenny Wood of Mt Eden Jacqui Knight of Blockhouse Bay 9 is growing scabiosa, perennial is seeing admirals and monarchs ageratum, annual asters and zinnias, in her garden already. Annuals such single dahlias, echinacea and verbena as cosmos, dahlias, marigolds for nectar. She has found that and zinnias and a tree dahlia plus monarchs really love Tithonia (Mexican perennials: hebes, lantana and sunflower), which is late summer Mexican marigold (Tagetes lemmonii) flowering, and buddleia as well as the with its delightful fragrance will flowers of swan plants. provide nectar throughout the To protect caterpillars from wasps summer. Clover and trefoil bring blues she covers swan plants in a large frame and groundsel and cineraria magpie Copper on native geranium of stakes covered with shade cloth moths. making sure there are no gaps and Jacqui highly recommends that Taranaki-based Abbie and Mark Jury that the frame cannot be blown over gardeners who want to attract attract and feed monarchs and in a big wind. She has a door on the butterflies to their property sign up admirals by planting swan plants and frame to release adults as they hatch for the Butterfly Gardening/Habitat stinging nettle as host plants and as and also to replace pots of swan plants Course available through the MBNZT. well as perennials (Angelica gigas, as they are eaten down. Thin wooden The lessons are made available on asters, sedums and Joe Pye weed) stakes placed horizontally provides the line. At the end of each lesson a test annuals such as cosmos, marigolds ideal spot for chrysalises. is completed and the five completed and zinnias) for nectar. As of late Most of our gardeners grow a tests are sent by post to the MBNZT. October they had yet to see eggs or continuation of swan plants: in pots as You can never have too many caterpillars although both butterflies well as in the ground. Keeping some flowers or host plants. Just like were in their gardens. They will plants away from egg-laying butterflies farmers it's better to have too much reserve some swan plants for later in means there are plenty for caterpillars. food rather than not enough. the season by covering them with fine mesh so the autumn born butterflies will winter over for them. In colder areas monarchs don’t arrive As for predators, Mark is becoming until later in summer. Some people suspicious about how many (including garden centres) bring in caterpillars the shining cuckoos take swan plants from warmer areas with out so he is thinking he may cover eggs already laid on them. more plants during the season. He will also spray for the oleander aphid on swan plants using one of the canola oil or fatty acid-based products. These organic sprays take out aphids and mites but rarely harm the caterpillars. Two of these products are Yates Natures Way or Tui Eco Pest.

Monarchs on Tithonia Nectaring on Angelica

Janine and Gordon Thompson be very popular with the coppers,” are eagerly looking for the emergence Janine reports. Tagetes lemmonii of the delicate common copper “Although we are very free thinking butterflies at Earthlore near Owaka. about weeds, (they are, after all, just Earthlore is an education centre very successful wildflowers) and focusing on native insects including consider them to be a valuable nectar butterflies and moths. source for insects, it did raise the Several years ago they planted thought that there must be a native every species of Muehlenbeckia they alternative.” could lay their hands on and with the They decided on the native maturing of the plants there is now a geranium, Geranium traversii, a lovely large population of resident coppers. low-growing perennial with grey/ With the caterpillars’ host plants green leaves and pretty pink flowers, established the Thompsons’ thoughts very similar to the buttercup flower in have turned to nectar plants for the shape. They are excited because it adult butterfly and of course such a has received the seal of approval of dainty butterfly needs tiny flowers for the local copper butterfly population. its little proboscis. It is only a small patch compared “As we have heavy soil with many to the areas of vigorous buttercup, damp areas at Earthlore we also though they are now inclined to look have a corresponding abundance of more favourably on these golden buttercup with the flowers proving to flowers than perhaps they once did. Single pink dahlia 10 Breeding SILKWORMS By Anthony Darby

have always enjoyed rearing butterflies and moths, and the mulberry silkworm Iis a nice easy species to breed. The mulberry silkworm, originally from China, is no longer found in the wild. Its habits and appearance have been changed by thousands of years of domestication. To breed the mulberry silkworm it is best to obtain them as overwintering eggs. There has been discussion in the forum on our website about this. In the spring, once the mulberry bushes have started producing leaves the eggs can be brought into the warmth. They are best hatched in a small plastic tub with a blob of damp cotton wool to prevent drying. After a couple of weeks the eggs hatch. It is important that not too many are hatched at once because they eat a lot especially near the end of their growth. The caterpillars may make the egg shell their first meal so they can be left for 24 hours. When ready a soft fine artist’s paint brush can be used to transfer the larvae, which are at most 2mm long, onto some mulberry leaves in a small plastic box. They cannot be reared on potted plants or kept on mulberry outdoors. Holes in the leaves and peppering of frass indicate they are feeding. They grow rapidly and soon make short work of the leaves. Depending on the temperature they may take five to eight weeks to grow to full size when they can be 8cm long and over 3g in weight. When they are ready to spin a cocoon I place cardboard tubes, which are ideal for spinning, around the edge of the tray. They spin golden cocoons with over 1km of a single thread of fine silk. These will hatch in three to four weeks if you let them. During the hatching process the moth makes a hole in the cocoon cutting the silk. The moths soften the end of the cocoon with caustic soda and sharp wing corners cut the silk thread. The moths pump fluid into their wings, which then dry. They may rest if no other moths 1 are out.They have no mouth parts, so do not feed. If a female is available and 11 starts ‘calling’ a male will beat his wings and zigzag his way to her. Moths mate immediately and may remain joined for up to 24 hours. Soon after, the females lay hundreds of yellow eggs. These must be left at room temperature for two to three months before storing in the fridge. If fertile the eggs soon turn grey as the caterpillar develops. They will not normally hatch unless the eggs have been in the fridge for two to three months. You can then start all over again. 2 If you wish to reel the silk you have to freeze the cocoons before they hatch to prevent the adult making a hole as it emerges. I've never done this though. To reel the silk, you take the frozen cocoons and float them in warm water. Find a single thread from each cocoon and 3 attach to a piece of stiff card attached to a piece of dowel with a split in it. Many people these days who like silk choose ‘peace silk’ or ‘ahimsa silk’. Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that means ‘do no harm’. It is the silk from cocoons of the wild Eri moth. The cocoons are collected from the forest after the moths have emerged and flown away.

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1 Opposite: Second instar larvae – worms or The World’s Plants to Your Door caterpillars 2 This page, clockwise from top: This shows how newly hatched caterpillars grow PARVA before their first moult. The newly hatched ones are short and black. To begin with the caterpillars eat just PLANTS the inside of the leaf from the underside. NZ’s Most Comprehensive 3 Fully grown silkworms mail-order plant Catalogue 4 Female moth with scent gland extruded, calling for a male FREE, Full Colour, Plant Catalogue 5 A batch of eggs. The white ones have hatched, and the grey ones are still to hatch. Eggs laid on HUGE range of flowering Perennials & newspaper are easy to fold up and store in the fridge. Shrubs ideal for attracting butterflies 6 The box I am rearing them in, simply a 30cm x 20cm to your garden. plastic food container. I don’t bother with the lid. Most of the caterpillars have now spun up into the various www.parvaplants.co.nz card tubes and egg box. Email: [email protected] Ph: 03 349 4918 12 TOP SECRET On the case with Inspector Insector

Calling all Investigators, Inspector Insector needs your help INSECT INVESTIGATOR’S OATH to solve a puzzling insect mystery. I promise to serve and protect and treat as my equal every living thing on the planet – even the slimy slugs. I promise to put a stop to all the Take the Insect Investigator’s Oath thoughtless squashing of insects and spiders and to be loyal to Her Royal and help The Inspector to solve Highness the Queen Bee as I help Inspector Insector keep the world safe. This I swear to every insect and human, snail, slug and worm.

CASE FILE 5A REWARD OFFERED: All Insect Investigators who email Inspector Insector at Z THE CASE OF THE with the common and the Latin name of the host plant for the magpie moth caterpillar will go in the draw to win a beautiful WOOLLY BEARS book from Scholastic New Zealand. Good luck team. BACKGROUND TO THE CASE: Buzzingly Yours, Amica the magpie moth sent her entire family of woolly bear Inspector Insector caterpillars off to work yesterday morning with instructions to do their job controlling weeds in Mrs Brown’s garden. They were told to the eat weeds by the back fence and so every single woolly bear wriggled happily away, but by nightfall not one caterpillar had returned home and so Amica needs WIN your help. She has asked Inspector Insector to find out the name of the special weed-plant her caterpillars have gone to eat so she knows where to look to find her family. HE’S A WINNER! Inspector Insector instructs This is Tiger O’Reilly who won one all Insect Investigators to do of the books in last issue’s Inspector some Super Snooping to find Insector puzzle. He is 5 years old out the name of the host plant the and attends Tahatai Coast School caterpillars will be eating as they in Papamoa.Inspector Insector was do their job as weed controllers. He lucky enough to interview him: will need to know the common and What do you like about Latin name of the plant so he can tell insects?“Some are shiny, some Amica what plants to look on. are spotty, some are big, some are small. There are lots of varieties. I’m interested in the bees except for the stings. And I’m really interested in slugs and snails because they move very slowly and you get a good chance to look at them, even though they’re not actually insects. Because they don’t have six legs. ” What do you like about butterflies? “Well once there was a moth that lived on my bedroom roof, like a pet that wasn’t a pet. I watched it for two nights. As for butterflies, I like how they have lots of different patterns on their wings. I saw a butterfly movie in 3D and that was really cool, it was about monarchs migrating.” Do you have a swan plant? “Lots, but the monarch caterpillars have almost chomped them all down. I’m not too worried though because once I saw one chomping on a stem so I suppose that’s what they’ll go onto next.” He wanted to thank Inspector Insector and Scholastic for the awesome prize. “Please put a tracker on Liothula when she grows into a moth so we can see how she goes.” FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES 13 By Kathryn McIntyre ver 500 people were thrilled by the epic movie Flight of the OButterflies in 3D, shown by the MBNZT in five locations recently: Kerikeri, Christchurch and three Auckland cinemas. Previously the movie has been screened for the Trust’s 10th Anniversary celebration in Auckland and in Tauranga. It is hoped to show it in other New Zealand centres in the future. The Canadian production covers Dr Fred Urquhart's 40-year long scientific investigation into the monarch butterfly, tracking the longest known insect migrations: its flight from Canada and the United States to central Mexico and back. Dr Urquhart’s dedication to discovering how the monarch migrates so far is truly inspirational. And the cinematography is amazing. The Trust was delighted with some of the feedback, especially from teachers who were working on conservation projects. This can be found on our website. http://tinyurl.com/f0tb-feedback 14 Forest Ringlet PROJECT s this issue goes to press we are about to embark on the AForest Ringlet Project, hosting a conservation specialist from Britain who will work voluntarily for us for three months investigating why the forest ringlet (Dodonidia helmsii) is in serious decline. He will be meeting with conservation and species specialists here in New Zealand and collate information about this beautiful butterfly. A few weeks ago the trustees were delighted to hear that through Lottery Environment and Heritage we were successful in getting a substantial grant which will make covering the expenses of this project so much easier. As well, we have received some great donations directly into our funds from loyal members as well as through the work of We have received contact from many different people in all corners of New Zealand wanting to help: to raise funds, to know whether forest ringlets could possibly be in their local forest, to report actual sightings. We intend to keep a record of progress via the forum on our website. So make sure you check it out between issues of the magazine!

The AUT PR students who put together a PR plan and a Givealittle page, raised over $4,000 for the Forest Ringlet Project The young women have now completed their studies for the year and we will miss their hard work and interaction. We hope we can maintain the work they have done setting up social media links, essential for any dynamic organisation in today’s world. To complete their assignment with us four of them got together and released a symbolic monarch. You can see the joy and hope on their faces as they did so! emerge covered with spores. Those 15 DID YOU KNOW? heavily infected with Oe are weak and often have difficulty emerging. n old farming adage is ‘where celled organism multiplying within its If you have a butterfly ‘house’ or there’s livestock there’ll be dead host. some enclosure and believe you have Astock’. This also applies to raising Infected female monarchs, while a disease among your monarchs it is butterflies. probably most effective to start Just as farmers do again rather than anxiously trying all they can to protect to save your brood or pinpoint livestock from accidents the exact issue. and sickness, we need Put all into a sealed to be equally vigilant container and into the freezer caring for caterpillars and to kill them. The next day put butterflies. Stress such this into the waste. Collect up as overcrowding, too little all vegetable matter and put this food or extreme heat can into another container into the trigger latent pathogens. waste. Do not compost, reuse or Healthy caterpillars need recycle anything. sufficient food of good Make up a 10% bleach quality, room to move solution (1 litre bleach to 9 litres and fresh air as well as water) and thoroughly sterilise all protection from predators surfaces. Use a spray bottle to and pests. wash walls that can’t be soaked. Don’t grow milkweeds Rinse down with water. If you are not systematic the problem may en masse – inter-planting reduces problems such as Thanks to Landcare for use of photo. well persist. aphids spreading quickly. Remember Oe and other Aphids seen in one part of the garden egglaying, transmit the parasite to eggs diseases are all around us. It can be contained and eradicated or and milkweed leaves. A caterpillar’s first is only when we put our monarchs reduced in numbers. Other plants grown meal is the egg shell so it eats the Oe in a stressful situation that we have around and into swan plants can provide spores. outbreaks. Always ensure your brood shelter and confuse predators: they find About three days before the adult has clean housing and ample healthy it harder to smell out the milkweed. emerges spotting can be seen through food. Do not try and raise more than you Remember as soon as you plant more the cuticle or chrysalis wall. Adults can handle! than one swan plant (milkweed) aphids are lured by the same smell that will bring monarchs. As soon as you have monarch caterpillars wasps and other predators get the sign that there’s a feast in your garden. We need to stop looking at the undesirable species as ‘bad’. They are just there doing what they're meant to do.

Social wasps The NZ Wasp Tactical Group (scientists and stakeholders) was formed in 2013 to develop tools for the management of wasps. The National Science Challenge is a multi-year project to find new control tools for Vespula species. Vespex, a poison bait, is proving a useful weapon against Vespula species. However, with Polistes (paper wasps) Darren Ward, Landcare entomologist says that baits and lures don’t work. “These wasps only eat live prey. And the European paper wasp, Polistes dominula, arrived in NZ this year.” It looks similar to the Asian paper wasp (see picture) and will most likely be a similar problem for those who raise monarchs. Not good news!

Diseases The various diseases that monarchs can succumb to are Nature’s way of controlling population outbreak. One of the most common is Oe or Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, a protozoan or single- GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS Your purchase supports the Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust

George Gibbs The ID chart of NZ’s butterflies Monarch Butterfly IN STOCK by Everything you wanted to know special request! about the monarch butterfly. Full-colour and 56 pages, paperback, colour laminated ID chart photographs, published by of NZ’s butterflies Entomological Society of NZ. $29 comes folded to (includes P&P). a handy size for use on tramps Robert Hoare’s ‘A and out and about Photographic Guide to (160mm x 225mm) Moths and Butterflies of Opens out to 790mm x 450mm. New Zealand’ All butterflies are represented life-size, and scientific name, a This book fills a long awaited need brief description, and information about host plants of larva for a reference work to the pictorial (caterpillars) is given. Most species, except for the rare visitors, identification of many of NZ’s moths. are accompanied by a distribution map. Only $7 each, postage Brilliant photographs! $34 (includes included. Great for Christmas presents! P&P). Brian and Hamish Patrick’s Butterflies T-shirts Butterflies of the South Our T-shirt collection is available in a wide range of styles and Pacific colours. One From Kiribati, style featuring Tuvalu and Fiji different in the west, to species the far-flung shown here Marquesas and on volunteers Austral Islands in French Polynesia at our Spring in the east, this book surveys (and Show, but discovers) the butterfly inhabitants there are of these tropical islands, including more, priced Hawaii. Hardback, 240 pages. $49.95 from $30.00 (incl P&P). on the website: http://nzbutterflies.printmighty.co.nz http://www.monarch.org.nz/items-for-sale/ Order on the site or in the shop on our website

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