Forest Ringlet Butterfly Project

on 27 Jan 2021

Laura asks

Hello, I'm not able to donate unfortunately but I wanted to let you know that this morning I found a strange little caterpillar on my dog's coat after she'd been running around in my backyard. I gave it a little bit of water and looked it up and discovered it fit the perfect description for the Forest Ringlet caterpillar. I live in Totara Park, Upper Hutt in the Wellington Region. I read that the Forest Ringlet has been found in my area in the past. When I saw the picture of the butterfly I thought "Oh yes I see that butterfly all the time!" Turns out my over grown yard features several healthy sedge plants that must attract the butterfly. I will keep my eye out for more of them and take photos when I can. I had no idea they were so rare! I thought it was important for you guys to know that there is clearly a population of these beauties in Totara Park. I returned the little guy I found to the sedge in my garden. Good luck collecting donations. Unfortunately I'm out of work at the moment and don't have anything to spare but I hope this information will be useful to you :)

Cheers, Riley

Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust

Thanks for this! Would appreciate it if you could report the sighting in to www.mb.org.nz - and if you can send any photos to trust@nzbutterflies.org.nz it would be very much appreciated. Thanks Riley/Laura!

on 31 Oct 2016

Struan asks

Gidday, we in Ruma Ngaio at Mapua School are having a Market day tomorrow (1st Nov) to raise some more funds for our butterfly friends. I've just noticed that the page closes tomorrow. Can this money still be donated? Or do we need to find another conservation type cause?

Many thanks!

Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust

Hi Struan - great to hear from you. This page was set up by a team of PR students with the closing date which co-incided when their project for us ended. However, the MBNZT still has a lot of funds to raise for the project, and we'd be delighted with anything the Mapua School could raise for us. There is information about donations on our website, www.monarch.org.nz. You will be sent a receipt for anything raised. Thanks!

on 14 Aug 2016

Detroit asks

Is $5000 going to be enough to "save" this at risk butterfly?

Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust

No. But it's a beginning. The $5,000 will go towards hosting the Senior Conservation Officer from the UK this summer who will work voluntarily for our organisation for the duration.

There is very little funding available for these sorts of projects and speaking on behalf of all of the MBNZT volunteers who work hard to educate and raise the profile of NZ's butterflies, we know that this summer we will at least learn more about the forest ringlet and why it is disappearing. With THAT knowledge we can come up with a plan to save this iconic butterfly.

If we don't make a start now... if people just stand around and wring their hands and say it's retreating, perhaps then it will be too late in a few years.