We've found a little corner, just down the road and not far from our house, where an Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi) favours. Not only the Painted Lady, however. In the same area we've seen Common Blues, Monarch Butterflies and White Butterflies. They are all enjoying this spot which gets all day sun and has Lantana and Buttercup trees flowering at the moment. Lantana being the main drawcard.
The Australian Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa kershawi) is a seasonal visitor to New Zealand from eastern Australia, arriving most years in spring. It lays its eggs on plants belonging to the daisy family. Although some of the butterflies have developed from eggs in New Zealand, the species does not manage to survive New Zealand’s winter. REF: TEARA REF: NATURE WATCH NZ |
My pictures below show the butterflies we observed in the small sunny area, on the side of the road, covering no more than about 5 sq m.
The plants were happily growing on a bank and also on the ground in front of it. The terrain was dry and dusty. The main plants of interest to the butterflies and bees were a Buttercup Tree and the flowering Lantana growing by the roadside.
Even the Waxeyes favoured the Lantana and we watched in amusement as one of them wriggled under the leaves to pick off a small ripe black Lantana berry.
Click on each picture to see a larger view....