Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust

We have had several around between 28 December 05 till now as we have many swan plants where we kept the seeds from our mature swan plants that the aphids got last year.

Have been encouraging Monarchs for 15yrs.This year we have dozens on our plants.Counted 12 at one stage.After only a couple all last season this is a releif.They winter over in some pines on our property.In the township of Opunake they winter over in some very large oaks and pohutukawa at the recreation ground and can […]

Discovered wasp nest near beach

Female, newly emerged from chrysalis. Xmas gift of plant with 3 caterpillars. Hope it survives.

Eating caterpillars and butterflies - not sure if the remains of butterfly was a Monarch, certainly a coloured.

Have been encouraging Monarchs for 15yrs.This year we have dozens on our plants.Counted 12 at one stage.After only a couple all last season this is a releif.They winter over in some pines on our property.In the township of Opunake they winter over in some very large oaks and pohutukawa at the recreation ground and can […]

Lots all on the fence hatching about 50 at different stages then they fly away

Green caterpillers. These are a grub (maggot) rather than a caterpiller, head smaller than the body. They bore into the seedpods and chew the inside out of them. They also attack the flower heads, pulling the the leaves and buds together with webbing, digging into the buds and eating the centres out.Does anyone know what […]

The orange coloured aphids (I note other people have reported them) - I have resorted to \’digital\’ control - yuck!

Paper wasp attacking young caterpillars