The Butterfly Discovery Project

L boldenarum, photo by Angela Moon-Jones

Identifying our NZ species and understanding their habitats is critical to conserve our butterflies.

New Zealand is home to butterfly species that exist nowhere else in the world. Yet, many of these incredible creatures remain unidentified. If they were to become extinct, we would lose them forever, unable to reintroduce them. That’s why the Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust (MBNZT) has embarked on a groundbreaking DNA science research journey to uncover and document every unique species.

Ask many people, and they’ll tell you there are just two butterflies in NZ: the monarch and the cabbage white. But that couldn’t be further from the truth! There could be over 50 species, some of which are already endangered. Proper identification is vital to ensure their survival.

Under Investigation

The Butterfly Discovery Project is diving into this challenge head-on, starting with investigating NZ’s largest group of butterflies: the copper butterflies (Lycaena species). While only four species have been officially identified, there could be more than 20!

Take a closer look at the three photos of Lycaena salustius (common copper) featured top right on our page - they are all classified as the same species, yet they look remarkably different. Clearly, there’s much more to uncover.

Robert Hoare, the researcher leading this important work, has shared his first report. You can check it out here: November 2024.

The Challenge of Fundraising

Unfortunately, NZ’s scientific funding model doesn’t support this type of essential research. That’s why we’re turning to crowdfunding to raise the money needed to identify and name these butterflies and better understand their habitats.

We’re incredibly grateful to Dr. George Gibbs, who has kick-started this effort with a generous $50,000 donation in honor of his grandfather, renowned entomologist GV Hudson. But we need your help to keep the momentum going!

How You Can Support the Project

You can help us to continue our important work to identify them and understand their habitats so that we can save our butterflies from extinction through better conservation. The more we know about these butterflies through scientific research, the easier it will be to protect them. Every contribution makes a difference. Here’s how you can help:

Purchase a T-shirt: Tumblewood Tees has designed a stunning butterfly-themed shirt, and sales of the adult sizes will contribute directly to our fundraising efforts. Check it out on their website!
Donate: you can donate to this project here or by using the button below.
Spread the Word: Share our project with friends and family or post about it on social media - check out our Facebook page for updates.

Why Taxonomy Matters

Taxonomy- the science of discovering, classifying and naming organisms - is critical for understanding and protecting our natural world. As Sir David Attenborough knows, and Ruud Kleinpaste echoes, “if we can’t identify them, how can we save them from extinction?”

Every New Zealander deserves to know how special our native species are. By using DNA and other scientific techniques, we can uncover the secrets of these butterflies and take meaningful steps toward conservation.

If you’re a Masters student interested in joining our project, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at . Together, we can ensure NZ’s butterflies are protected.