Gus Evans is now retired but for many years ran his own nursery at Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast, where he grew swan plants. Read about the adventures he had:

Swan plants? We grew them for over 40 years. I always said swan plants are like alcohol and cigarettes … I know you will be back for more!

We grew them in a totally covered house to avoid monarch attacks. But apart from monarchs, pretty much the only other thing that ever bothered them was the little orange aphid, Aphidius nerii.

Our top tip to people was, at the end of the season, to plant 3-4 close together and make a total shade cloth cover over them to allow the plants to grow into something quite substantial and be able to sustain the first invasion of caterpillars in the new season. The cover needs to be large enough to not touch the leaves on the plants as butterflies could lay on them.

An old guy who lives not far from us had an old swan plant that had a real stem on the bottom of it – I would say about six or seven years old. Maybe you’d call it a ‘trunk’. Every year that could sustain 600 caterpillars at any one time. It was massive, and every year totally covered.

We built up a real clientele over many years. Garden centres and the public trusted us implicitly that our plants had never been sprayed. For that reason, we had huge pre-orders year after year.  We grew the same amount every year, about 6,000 in 1.5L pots. We would plant three per pot, so customers got their money’s worth and were satisfied.

We would give away many to schools and kindergartens (until they were notified it was poisonous), and people we knew who loved them but couldn’t afford it for their kids. How many kids have you seen eat swan plant leaves? Yet in our laundry sink cupboard we have far more potent dangers.

Over the years we have shared so many monarch stories. People make such a hobby of raising monarch caterpillars. One Christmas Day I got a call from a lady who said her monarchs had run out of feed, and could I open up, and get her some urgently? We did!

The funniest story is this: One year a large garden centre asked us for 600 plants with the proviso that each plant would have a caterpillar. No problem, I thought. I put them all outside about a fortnight before delivery, and sure enough heaps of caterpillars!

So, we dutifully set about putting a caterpillar on each plant. However, on the journey into Wellington they decided to migrate all over our van. The caterpillars were on my neck, crawling up the windows, on the roof … everywhere. Amazing! When I arrived, I said to the boss lady, I have good news and bad new.! The good news is there are all your plants but … there are all the caterpillars. You are going to need to grab them.

It was hilarious, all their staff coming out and re-introducing all the caterpillars to the plants.

We have met so many interesting people over the years sharing the love for monarchs. One lady would buy hundreds off me every year but insisted on picking her own plants. For maybe 100 plants she would spend at least an hour. She used to crush the orange aphids in her fingers. We used to drown them by immersing the plants in a deep bath, eliminating the use of sprays, which was the golden NO NO! She used to discuss with me breeding first and second-generation monarchs.

Another funny story was when we first got into swan plants, the first time we potted them up was outside. We went for lunch and when we came back, they had been invaded. Eggs everywhere. We spent many weeks picking off caterpillars, as the damage they caused with their voracious appetite made the plants unsaleable. Lesson learnt: only pot inside in future.

Pretty much it is very expensive to buy small plants every season as within two days the plants are stripped bare and we have hungry caterpillars. Some people even cried that the caterpillars were hungry, such is the emotional attachment people have to monarchs.

Try hard to grow some big plants to sustain the attack of the monarch butterflies. If you have been buying small plants each year, check out the tips on the website here and see if you can modify your garden to accommodate larger swan plants.

Here’s Gus secret to growing his plants:

We always sowed seed. We always used Daltons Seed Sowing Mix, lightly covering the seed. We would start sowing our first batch in July, and every month afterwards, with the final sowing in November. That way we had continuity and guaranteed ongoing supply.

We would put the seed trays on bottom heat for germination. When they had germinated, we would prick these out in about three weeks into 5 cm tubes, and then finish them off in 1.5 litre pots. It was essential to have good light after germination so as not to draw the plants and make them spindly.

After they were potted, they would be for sale at about 800 mm high in seven weeks.

We never fertilised again as it was a quick crop to produce, but it is essential to use a top-quality potting mix with all the good fertilisers in it, such as Daltons Potting Mix. The cheapest mix is not necessarily the best.

Sometimes yellowing may occur. For us this would be caused by overwatering as there was definitely no nitrogen deficiency. Perhaps if established plants are turning yellow, they may need some good slow release fertiliser around the drip line.

We would feed the plants twice a year if outside, and as a rule of thumb feed them as they are going to sleep (say late March) and again as they are waking up in September.

Thanks, Gus!

I love how butterflies introduce me to very special people …

Thanks Zac Warren for photo

For some years I’ve been trying to find out the name in Te Reo of our beautiful forest ringlet butterfly. Several websites had mentioned ‘pepe pouri’ but when I contacted the authors of those websites they told me they did not recall the source of that information.

So last year ago I published an article in Issue 37 (Winter, 2021, page 10) of BUTTERFLIES, hoping that this might stimulate some interest.

I consulted with the Maori Language Commission. While they were helpful, the issue was not resolved.

I emailed all of the kura in New Zealand, hoping that perhaps one of the kaiako would set their tamariki some homework (and ask their kuia and kaumatua…) All to no avail.

And then I thought of Dr Richard Benton, who I knew from my earlier life in Russell (Kororāreka) – he has had a lifelong passion for NZ’s flora and fauna and has studied linguistics. In the 1970s he and his team interviewed almost 7,000 Maori families about the use of Te Reo, finding that its use was in rapid decline and in danger of disappearing.

While he did not know, he introduced me to Dr Tom Roa (Ngati Maniapoto, Waikato).

Dr Roa is a Tainui leader and Ahorangi / Professor of Te Reo at the Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato. He is a familiar figure on marae throughout Tainui and the country. His PhD examined questions about the theory and practices of Maori to English language translation and interpretation. He has also been a leading figure in bringing the Maori language into the mainstream, and had picked up on Richard Benton’s work at the start of Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori (Māori Language Week) movement in the 1970s.

Tom asked around his whanau and advised: 'Apparently my cousin knew of a "pepepe pouri" butterfly that flew around a hill near our marae. We call the hill Mataiata and it is our hapu burial ground. The urupa is full so no burials have taken place there since I was a child.'

The beautiful Tarewaanga Marae and Mataiata beside the Waipa River (photo: taarewaanga.co.nz)

'A little older than me, she says that the pepepe pouri was called that because it would often attend tangi on Mataiata (and elsewhere).  Pouri you will know also means "sad".'

So there we have it. Now we know the reason behind the name in Te Reo for the beautiful forest ringlet. Te Pepepe Pouri it is!

It’s critical everyone understands that when you have hungry caterpillars later in the season you MUST NOT depend on buying plants for food. You need to plant well in advance. Get plants well established before those first butterflies return. Buy or grow twice as many as you’ll think you need – you can keep some out of reach of the monarchs. Keep successive plants growing and flourishing.

I know of two people in Dunedin that have plants lasting for more than one year. Their plants are growing in a warm, sheltered part of the garden. So possibly, in cooler areas, you could get plants going this year which you can keep for later years.

If you are buying seed, now is the time to buy a packet or two and get the seedlings established in pots indoors.

There are more useful hints on the webpage designed specially for the purpose of helping our monarchs: click on the link. And also watch out for 'Top Tips' like these, in our weekly e-news.

Everyone who becomes a financial member of the MBNZT (while stocks last) receives a FREE copy of George Gibbs' book about the Monarch Butterfly in New Zealand. It's so helpful learning about monarchs.

An Exquisite Legacy, George Gibbs’ book

An Exquisite Legacy was mentioned in despatches recently and we’ve since been asked for copies in our shop. So here’s your opportunity. This is the illustrated biography of G V Hudson (1867-1946) one of this country’s greatest pioneer naturalists and artists. The illustrations of NZ insects are remarkable – a national treasure. Note: we have a limited number of copies so this is not on our website. Only $55 plus $10 P&P. Order now by emailing your name, address and payment details and paying into the MBNZT bank account with Kiwibank 38-9009-0654693-00 to  .