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Mammals | Birds | Frogs | Reptiles | Insects | Spiders | Peripatus | Molluscs | Freshwater Fish
There are about 12 endemic species, however, recent DNA analyses of the
common copper (Lycaena salustius), has discovered that there
may be 30 species of what was formally known as one. Larvae of the Lycaena
spp. feed on Muehlenbeckia. Butterflies are found in all of New
Zealand’s different environments and at all altitudes. The most striking
is the forest ringlet (Dodonidia helmsii), its host plants are
sedges and snow grasses. The alpine ringlets and tussock
butterflies are found only in
mountain regions of the South Island, and their host plants are tussocks.
Two of the most common butterflies, are the red admiral (Bassaris
gonerilla), and yellow admiral (Bassaris
itea), their larvae feed on the nettles, Urtica
ferox and U. urens.
The introduced butterflies established in New Zealand are the cabbage white (Pieris rapae), monarch (Danaus plexippus), common blue (Zizina otis labradus), long-tailed blue (Lampides boeticus).
There are over 1760 moth species in New Zealand, with a high level of
endemicity. The most striking species is the puriri moth Aenetus
virescens (Hepialidae), which is confined to the North Island. It
is the largest endemic moth, with a wingspan up to 150 mm in the female
and 100 mm in the male. Females have a dark-brown or black mottled pattern
on the forewings and the hind wings are usually buff coloured. The
male’s forewings are pale green with white markings and the hind wings
are greener than those of the female. The early instar of this moth
occupies decaying wood on the ground for about a year, before moving to a
live tree, in which it forms a 7-shaped tunnel. Here the larva feeds on
the cambium at the entrance of the tunnel under a protective
webbing of silk, bark
scrapings and frass. Full development takes 4-6 years. The puriri moth adult is most abundant in September and
November.
The most striking wasps are the spider hunters (Pompilidae), Priocnemis monachus measures 9 - 26 mm in length and is steel blue-black in colour, while the golden hunter Sphictostethus wakefieldi measures 8 - 22 mm.
A number of introduced wasps have become serious pests, namely the German wasp (Vespula germanica), and the common wasp (V. vulgaris). Especially the latter species, is very aggressive, and in many of the warmer areas of New Zealand, has reached plague proportions; if not poisoned. In beech forest, the common wasp has become a major competitor for kaka and the honey eaters that feed on the honey dew extract produced by scale insects, so much so, that bird breeding success has been significantly reduced in these forests.
A number of paper wasp species (Polistes) have established in New Zealand, they, like the Vespula species, are very efficient predators, and there is concern as to what effects they are having on the native insect fauna.
Several native solitary bees are present but no social species. Bumble
bees and honey bees have been introduced.
There are seven species of dragonflies and six species of damselflies.
Four species of Odonata are self-introduced, the red perching dragonfly, Diplacodes
bipunctata, Hemianax
papuensis, Aeshna brevistyla, and Ischnura
aurora aurora. The most interesting species is the endemic,
crepuscular dragonfly (Antipodochlora braueri), which exists only
in the North Island, in slow moving streams flowing through indigenous
forest. New Zealand’s largest dragonfly, that graces our company logo,
is Uropetala carovei, with a wingspan of 12.5 cm, and body length
8.5 cm. The black and yellow adult is a strong flier and can easily catch
cicadas and honey bees. Adults spend a considerable amount of time
perched, sunning themselves on rocks or tree trunks, and in the tops of
trees. The terrestrial nymph inhabits burrows in seepages and streambanks,
and takes between five to six years to reach maturity. The red damselfly Xanthocnemis
zealandica and blue damselfly Austrolestes
colensonis are very common around waterways.
There are no huge beetles like those in the tropics, but there are a few species with bizarre looking adults. One example is the adult giraffe weevil (Lasiorhynchus barbicornis), it is a slender insect with an elongate thorax and long snout. Maori considered it to represent the god of a newly-made canoe. The male is much longer than the female, and measures c. 75 mm.
Another beetle of note, is the adult huhu longhorn beetle (Prionoplus
reticularis), that measures up to 40 mm or so in length. The brown
coloured wing coverings of this beetle are characterised by a reticulation
of pale lines. The pale cream larvae of this insect are borers of
dead-wood, and can reach a length of 50 - 75 mm. Maori considered the
larvae a delicacy, however, they only ate the pre-pupae (gut was fully
evacuated). Larvae were also used for eel bait.
The large grasshoppers are common in all alpine regions of New Zealand.
These insects are very interesting in that some species have very
restricted distributions, for example, some are confined to one mountain
range. This restricted distribution is thought to have arisen through the
retreating snow line at the end of the last glacial period. Hence the
grasshopper’s associated climatic environment moved up in altitude, so
that lowland areas between mountains became an effective barrier to the
dispersal of these flightless grasshoppers. Another interesting feature in
regards to alpine grasshoppers, is that at higher altitudes, they attain a
larger size (30 mm) than those living at lower altitudes.
Cicada song is synonymous with the warmer months of New Zealand. There is a great number of species; of all different colours, from red, green, yellow and brown. The most impressive cicadas are the large Amphisalta spp. measuring 19 mm in length. In some years, there can be large numbers emerging, and near forest edges their song can be deafening. They also congregate around street lights, where they will sing throughout the night. The sound-producing organ, chamber, is located in the abdomen. Muscles flex the wall of this chamber to produce a sound in the same manner as a popping tin can. The sound is altered through elevation of the flaps on the undersurface of the abdomen. The song of the cicada is complex and very varied between species.
Cicada nymphs feed on the xylem of plant roots, and in the Amphisalta
spp. the nymphs probably take between five to eight years to reach full
development. Cicadas are found right throughout New Zealand, and those in
alpine areas, like the grasshoppers, have restricted distributions,
probably for the same reasons.
Miller, D. 1995: Common Insects in New Zealand. Pub Reed (Revised by Walker, A). This text is very valuable for insect identification and is readily available in most public libraries.
If you find any information above that is incorrect or misleading, please feel free to contact us.
