Butterflies flying high in Tauranga!

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Butterflies flying high in Tauranga!

Mary Parkinson, trustee of the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust and the instigator of the butterfly garden at Te Puna Quarry Park, spoke highly of the support from Tauranga businesses and folk at the conclusion of a most successful conference held at Bureta Park last week.

Barrie Frost, a New Zealander based at Queen's University in Canada, who has been internationally recognised for his work into psychology, biology and physiology, has studied how insects navigate, and explained what is known about Monarchs in North America, which migrate from as far north as Canada to Mexico each year.

"It is amazing," said Mary. "How can a tiny insect, that has never made the trip before, know where to go, and find its way to join millions of other Monarchs in the same treetop."

Photographs of the Monarchs show Oyamel fir trees with their branches sagging under the collective weight of the butterflies.

Keynote speaker George Gibbs, author of GHOSTS OF GONDWANA, is one of this country's most experienced lepidopterists, spoke on the origins of our butterfly and moth fauna. He commented on how the Monarch had found its way to this country in the 1800s.

Later he shared his tips on photographing insects.

Mark Hauber from the University of Auckland, now based in New York, gave more insights into animal navigation and shared the results of tagging Monarchs here.

On the Saturday night, a bio-blitz was held in Te Puna Quarry Park with 27 different moths caught and identified. Earlier the butterfly garden at Te Puna had given a stunning display of what was desirable to attract butterflies and other pollinators - a spectacle of colour.

Kathryn Rowe, principal of Elsthorp Primary School in Hawkes Bay shared ideas about using butterflies as a teaching aid in the classroom. Last year she had attended training with the Monarch Teacher Network in the company of Mary Parkinson, from Tauranga.

All papers were enthusiastically received, questions and answers exchanged. Four workshops proved helpful in the practical field of butterfly gardening, propagation and breeding.

Everyone was most enthusiastic with their visit to Tauranga and the whole event, and the comments from everyone were exceptional: a friendly and informative weekend, concluding with a butterfly release.

"It was a fantastic weekend," said Mary Parkinson, head of the organising committee. "Great support from sponsors ENVBOP, the Perry Foundation, Tui Garden Products, Wildflower World and Western Bay of Plenty Council made this possible."

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