NZ Red Admiral

Description:

Endemic to NZ, with a 50-60mm wingspan, this was an autumn butterfly, photographed at the end of April (mid-autumn in NZ) and was a bit tatty but still beautiful. The underside of the wings is a mottled white brown and black which is stunning in its own way. The colour on the upper wings is brown against the body, and predominantly black on the outside. In between are large bands and patches of bright red with black-edged, blue-centred spots in the rear-ward wings. In the front wings there are spots and patches of white, with further blue spots

Habitat:

Relatively common in NZ, but under threat from insecticides, parasitic wasps and loss of the native NZ nettle/Ongaonga (Urtica ferox). The caterpillars create a 'tent' from the leaves of the nettle, to protect themselves during the day. Adults feed on nectar from various native and exotic plants and have been known to feed on sap seeping from trees.

Notes:

This butterfly was resting with wings closed on an outside dining table and was there for so long, I decided to get my phone from the car and take a photo, as it was the only camera I had available! By the time I returned the wings were opened up and I had time for one photo before it flitted off up over the trees and disappeared. Red admiral butterflies are long-lived and if hatched in summer will last 6 months, or up to 9 months (over-wintering) if hatched later in the year.