Butterflies of New Zealand


The butterflies of New Zealand include many endemic species as well as introduced and migrant species. Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths, is the third largest insect order in New Zealand.

List of New Zealand butterflies

Common nameMāori nameBinomial nameNative/endemic/introducedConservation status
Australian blue tigerDanaus hamatus hamatuscasual visitor
Australian meadow argusPrecis villida calybecasual visitor
Australian painted ladypepe parahuaVanessa kershawinative
Black mountain ringletpepe pouriPercnodaimon plutoendemic
Blue moonHypolimnas bolina nerina
Boulder copperLycaena boldenarumendemic
Butler's ringletpepe pouriErebiola butleriendemic
Chatham Island red admiralkahukuraVanessa gonerilla idaendemic-
Common bluepepe aouriZizina otis labradusnative-
Common copperpepe pora rikiLycaena salustiusendemic
Common emigrant or lemon emigrantCatopsilia pomona pomonacasual visitor
Common evening brownMelanitis leda bankiacasual visitor
Glade copperLycaena feredayiendemic
Forest ringletDodonidia helmsiiendemicserious decline
Lesser grass blueZizina otiscasual visitor-
Lesser wandererDanaus chrysippus petiliacasual visitor
Long-tailed blueLampides boeticusnative
MonarchDanaus plexippus plexippusnative
New Zealand red admiralkahukuraVanessa gonerilla gonerillaendemic-
Rauparaha's copperLycaena rauparahaendemic
Small white pepe maPieris rapae rapaeintroduced
Southern blueZizina otis oxleyiendemic
Tussock ringletArgyrophenga antipodumendemic
Tussock ringletArgyrophenga harrisiendemic
Tussock ringletArgyrophenga janitaeendemic
Yellow admiralkahukowhaiVanessa iteanative

Conservation

Very little is known about any butterfly extinctions since human settlement of New Zealand since they leave few remains. The majority of New Zealand invertebrates are found in forests so it is likely that some butterflies became extinct due to the large scale forest clearance after human settlement.