A 'Kahukōwhai'

Yellow admiral

Vanessa itea (Fabricius)

[Vanessa itea] adult. Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY

Vanessa itea adult. Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY

Pūtoi
Order: Lepidoptera
Whānau
Family: Nymphalidae

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Te Rahi

E 48–55 mm te whānui mai i te pito o tētahi parirau ki tētahi

Size range

Wingspan 48–55 mm

Te Tītaringa

Kitea ai huri noa i Aotearoa, i ngā koraha āhua hakahaka me ngā māra; kei Ahitereiria anō

Distribution

Throughout NZ, low altitudes open country and gardens also occurs in Australia

Te Huringa Ora

He reka ki ngā kātua te Buddleia me ngā pua o ētahi atu tipu
Kai ai ngā anuhe i te ongaonga, ko te Urtica urens tāna tino kai

Life history

Adults attracted to Buddleja and other flowers
Caterpillars feed on Urtica sp. preferably common nettles, Urtica urens

Gallery

[Vanessa itea] adult. Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY Image — Vanessa itea adult. Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY

[Vanessa itea] adult - ventral (underside). Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY Image — Vanessa itea adult - ventral (underside). Image: Birgit Rhode, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research / CC-BY

Yellow Admiral Caterpillar / A ‘Kahukōwhai’. Image: nzButterfly.info by Robert Arter–Williamson (c) Image — Yellow Admiral Caterpillar / A ‘Kahukōwhai’. Image: nzButterfly.info by Robert Arter–Williamson (c)