Kōrero: Butterflies and moths

Long-tailed blue butterfly

Long-tailed blue butterfly

This long-tailed blue butterfly (Lampides boeticus) is on flowering gorse. It lays its eggs in unopened gorse flower buds. When the larva hatches it eats much of the flower. The species was first observed in New Zealand in 1965. It is self-introduced so is considered native, and is also found in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and islands of the Pacific, including Hawaii.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation
Reference: 10042782
Photograph by George W. Gibbs

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Brian Patrick, 'Butterflies and moths - New Zealand’s butterflies and moths', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/photograph/10527/long-tailed-blue-butterfly (accessed 28 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Brian Patrick, i tāngia i te 24 Sep 2007