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Monarch butterfly sunbathes on a sunflower, January 2001. Photo copyright B. H. Grenville.Catch and kill wasps enthusiastically!  Get a Free E-mail Address

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In the peace and sunshine of Grey Lynn, in the land

Threats to butterfly survival. of Aotearoa, can be found the
Start your OWN butterfly farm. Red Rose Cottage Butterfly Farm.
Catching and killing wasps. Established in 1997, we seek to save the Monarch Butterfly from extinction.
See View some of our photos here. To see the title of a photo, roll your mouse
Cool butterfly sites you should visit. over it. To see a larger and clearer image, click on the small photo. All photos are copyright.
e-mail us. These photos may only be reproduced on payment of a royalty fee to Red Rose Cottage.
 
   
 
A monarch poses on an agapanthus flower, Red Rose Cottage.
Everyone likes sunflowers, including butterflies.
On the bright seedpod of arum italicum, Red Rose Cottage.
Front steps of Red Rose Cottage, with potted swan plants growing up the stairs. Can you spot the butterfly on the left sunflower?
A newly-hatched female prepares for her first flight.
Monarch finds the bright seedpod of arum italicum of interest.
A bright male spreads his wings in a flower bed.
14 caterpillars on a slender bush = starvation for all! Try to keep not more than 3 caterpillars on each small bush.
A charming baby, newly hatched beside her discarded cocoon.
This newly-hatched butterfly pupated on a stalk of mint, growing in the same pot that her food plant grows in.
Here is the same butterfly as in the photo on left from another angle.
Newly-hatched butterfly rests on a plank.
This is the photo used for the ICIS stamps in 2000. Click to view the stamps.
Monarchs look even better on sunflowers.
When you see fat caterpillars walking DOWN a branch with leaves still available to eat, they are hunting for a nice place to pupate. Carefully move them to a safe place, to save them from wasps.
When mating, please do it anywhere but NOT on a door mat!
Mating is characterised by intense flapping of the wings but seldom moving location - unless disturbed, whereupon the male flies the pair to a nearby location to continue.
If mating couples are disturbed, they fly to a new location and carry on. The male flies the pair of them.
A fat fully-grown caterpillar cruises along a banana palm leaf, searching for a cool place to pupate.
The front stairway of Red Rose Cottage with swan plants and sunflowers growing in pots to catch the sun.
Monarch butterfly takes a rest from his exhausting flight.
A fat fully-grown caterpillar off in search of a nice place to pupate.
Damage to swanplants caused by caterpillars of the White Cabbage butterfly. 2 red arrows show the green caterpillars.
Charming monarch rests on a sunflower.
L-R: Belinda, Bessie, Stephen.
L-R: Belinda, Bessie, Charlie.
This caterpillar has begun her pupation by spinning a strong web to attach her rear to a stalk.
A mantis brandishes a caterpillar in its cruel claws, and begins eating her.
A mantis captures a butterfly as she lands to spawn. It is important to check all your swan plants regularly for mantids, and remove any you find.
The moment of birth. A butterfly emerges from her cocoon.
Inspect all plants each evening for snails, and squash any found. Otherwise, they will eat all the leaves.
Snails: a serious enemy, especially after rainfalls. They try to eat all the swan plant leaves, so should be removed each evening.
A fully-grown caterpillar heads downward, seeking a safe place to pupate.
MOTHPLANT, or Kapok Vine, a common weed, and excellent secondary source of nutrient for monarch caterpillars.
A caterpillar about to pupate.
Flynn, aged 3½, and Jazmine, aged 8.
Newborn male butterfly, October 2001.
Butterfly with a large caterpillar, October 2001.
Butterfly, October 2001.
Newborn butterfly indoors. Note the large caterpillar climbing down the pole.
Another view of the scene at the left.
Newborn butterfly, October 2001. Note the caterpillar head just visible near the top of the picture!
Butterfly and caterpillar, October 2001.
Cocoon nearly ready to hatch. Spot the outline of wings.
  
   
 

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