Rare butterfly becomes a target

3 December 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Rare butterfly becomes a target

The search is on for the endangered native forest ringlet butterfly.

So-named because of the distinctive target-like rings or ‘eyes’ on its wings, urgent steps are being taken to reverse its bleak future.

The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust has embarked on a long-term project this summer, beginning with a nationwide search. Steve Wheatley, a senior conservation specialist from Butterfly Conservation in England, is travelling throughout the country gathering records of known locations and sightings – past and present – of Dodonidia helmsii.

A funding grant from Lottery Environment and Heritage has enabled the project which is being directed by Dr Peter Maddison. The former president of Forest & Bird, Dr Maddison was the scientist who first identified painted apple moth in Auckland in 1999, an invasive species that has now been eradicated.

“Declining numbers [of forest ringlets] were first observed during the1990’s,” says Maddison, “and it is thought that vespulid wasps were likely to be involved. But without knowing specifically what is happening, we cannot address the cause.”

The distinctive orange, black, white and yellow butterfly was once widespread in forests throughout New Zealand but has now declined to a few remote areas. It has been a long time since the rare butterfly was seen in the Auckland and Wellington regions. The species is only found in this country and has no close relatives.

Jacqui Knight, secretary of the trust, says all New Zealanders can help in the search by contacting the trust if they spot any. “At the outset we have to know where we are – or where the butterfly can be found now, or has been seen in the past.”

“They are classified as ‘at risk’,” agreed Eric Edwards, science advisor for the Department of Conservation.

The butterfly lives in forest glades, from near sea-level to the treeline, usually in late summer. They tend to fly high in the forest canopy. Females can also be seen on or near sedges, rush-like plants, where they lay their eggs.

This project is a big step for the trust, which started life 10 years ago as the Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust. There is little time or resources generally available for the conservation of native invertebrates.

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