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A 'Kahukōwhai'

Yellow admiral caterpillar

Vanessa itea (Fabricius)
Hoki ki te He aha tēnei pepeke? Back to What is this bug?
Yellow Admiral Caterpillar / A ‘Kahukōwhai’. Image: nzButterfly.info by Robert Arter–Williamson (c)

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

Pūtoi
Order
Lepidoptera
Whānau
Family
Nymphalidae
Show in English Te Reo

Te Rahi

  • About 30mm long

Size range

  • About 30mm long

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

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

Life history

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

Gallery

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)
[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