Friday, July 9, 2010

Yellow Admiral - Kahukowhai



The other commonly sighted native New Zealand butterfly. The Yellow Admiral is not endemic - it is also found in Australia and some of the islands. Its Maori name translates as "yellow cloak". It is a fast flier, thought to have been blown across the Tasman Sea. In behaviour it is not disimilar to the Red Admiral although it is not quite as long lived, lasting only a few months in its adult form. The larvae look similar and also live on nettle leaves. They feed at night, curling a leaf about them during the daylight hours.

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