nzButterfly.info > New Zealand Species > Migrant Species > Very rare migrants
Very rare migrants
Blue Tiger(Tirumala hamata hamata (was Danaus hamata hamata))
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Male Auckland Museum |
Female Auckland Museum |
Only 4 sightings in NZ until 1994, but in Apr - Jun 1995, the where hundreds seen along the west coast from Nelson to Northland along with the Blue Moon. No known recordings between 1995 and April 2011.
The male (left) has androconial scales, which the female (right) doesn't have.
Evening Brown
(Melanitis leda bankia)
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| © Norm Twigge |
Only 2 recordings (New Plymouth in 1967 and Kaitaia in 1972).
Lemon Migrant
(Catopsilia pomona pomona)
Only 2 recordings (Auckland before 1876 and
Waiomu in 2005). This maybe due to the fact it
looks similar to the White Butterfly on the
wing and
a dead leaf when settled.
Meadow Argus
(Junonia villida calybe (also Precis villida calybe))
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| © Roger Frost |
Very rare visitor and does not breed in NZ. Thousands crossed from Australia in 1886. Foodplants are popular garden flowers, so it could possibly breed here. It's flight can be confused with the Painted Lady, as they both appear orange in flight. However the Painted Lady has continuous wing beats, whereas the Meadow Argus has periods of gliding with it's wings flat.
More information
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Extremely Rare Migrants
There are a few species from Australia, one
from India and
one from Japan that have being recorded in New Zealand. Each of these species
has had less then five individuals recorded in the past 200-300 years. Because of this fact,
nzButterfly.info is not going into any great detail on these species due to fact that when
something different is noticed it is well publicised.
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