Join the movement to restore this beautiful butterfly to Auckland. There are number of ways you can make a difference for this endemic species - read on to learn how.
What’s red and rarer than a ruru?
Meet the red admiral butterfly (Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla), an endemic species unique to New Zealand and as important as our kiwi and kauri. Known in Te Reo Māori as kahukura, meaning red cloak, this butterfly is a stunning emblem of our native biodiversity, but it had become a rare sight in recent decades.
Photo by Peter de Lange
Where is the Red Admiral Found?
Once a common feature of the local fauna, the red admiral had all but vanished from Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. Its decline coincided with the aerial insecticide spraying campaign (1996–2004) to eradicate the painted apple moth. Combined with urban development and the loss of wild spaces, these factors have made the butterfly a rare visitor to Auckland.
In other parts of New Zealand, the red admiral is more common. However, populations from southern regions struggled to adapt to Auckland's warmer climate, highlighting the need for localised conservation efforts.
Conservation Efforts
The red admiral isn’t just beautiful - it plays an essential role in pollination and supports native bird species as part of their diet. To restore its presence in Auckland, we have been campaigning to increase awareness of this butterfly in an effort to rebuild local populations. And now the project will be rolled out to other parts of the country.
Since 2023 we have been encouraging Aucklanders to plant nectar-rich flowers and Urtica ferox, the tree nettle or ongaonga, the host plant on which the species lays its eggs. While few people were brave enough to plant Urtica ferox, they still supported the campaign by planting other nettles and providing more nectar flowers in their gardens.
Local volunteers have been contributing to the conservation effort in a variety of ways. Some volunteers have been breeding the species in captivity and distributing the caterpillars. Others have been provided with caterpillars to be raised on nettles under cover in their own gardens, with adult butterflies released back into the wild. The first release took place on July 1st at the Blockhouse Bay Recreational Reserve. The campaign was helped by a grant from Foundation North. Additional funds meant that we could collect caterpillars/eggs from nearby regions like Northland and the Waikato and form a foundation population better suited to Auckland's environment, increasing their chances of survival.
And now, thanks to a grant from the Oklahoma City Zoo we will be able to reach out to other communities.
Here is one way in which you can raise admirals (in this case yellows - but the method is more or less the same), thanks to Terry Smithers.
How can you help?
- Plant Nectar Flowers: These provide essential nourishment for adult butterflies. You can find a list of suitable nectar plants here.
- Grow Nettle Species: Plant tree nettle / Urtica ferox or other nettles in safe areas to serve as host plants for caterpillars. Seeds of U. australis and U. ferox are available here. If you can, raise the caterpillars in a predator-free environment.
- Control Predators: Predatory wasps, like paper wasps and Vespula species, are significant threats to native butterflies. Controlling these pests can make a huge difference.
- Get Involved: To stay updated or join the initiative, email . You will be added to a Google Group and notified of when plants and egg/caterpillars are available.
- Donate: Donations are vital to the success of this project. If you’d like to contribute, you can donate here.
Together, we can help restore the red admiral to its rightful place in Auckland and the whole of Aotearoa - creating a thriving home for this rare and beautiful butterfly once more.
Read about how the Red Admiral Project is growing in the Upper Waitematā here.
