Common copper butterfly (female) - Lycaena salustius at Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve
It was a hot day in early summer and these beautiful little butterflies where everywhere, laying eggs on their food plants, Muehlenbeckia species, which were also abundant.
A New Zealand native species of Butterfly . A short-lived butterfly with individuals only known to live 1 to 2 weeks. The Common Copper has three main variations throughout the country, but even these vary throughout their respective ranges. Despite so many variations the Common Copper has a constant double wing vein marking in the centre of the hindwing but on the females this can be almost blurred into each other. Common Coppers have a greater tendency to travel then other coppers, which are not generally found more then 20-50 metres from the larval foodplant. All the coppers are all suffering from Wasp predation, especially paper wasps, as they are a good source of protein for the wasp's developing larvae. Eggs are laid on underside of foodplant leaves (always muehlenbeckia species, near the edge. Usually located on north facing projecting branches or shoots of the foodplant and on mature leaves. Greenish-blue in colour & look like a tiny flattened sphere with white ridges. They hatch in about 10 days. The larva eats a small hole near the top so it can get out, but will leave the rest of the shell behind, this gives the appearance of eggs with a blackish spot. The larvae are dark leaf-like green with distinct reddish black dorsal line & diagonal segment markings which can appear more like minute white spots. It has it's legs and head covered by fleshy side flanges (giving it a Woodlouse shape), it appears to have a slow slug-like movement. The larvae live about 6 weeks and have 4 instars.
The number and variety of copper butterflies in New Zealand is unrivalled worldwide. These mainly orange butterflies can be found throughout the country, including the high alpine zones. They have diversified into at least 40 species within four groups. No single species occurs nationwide, and many have very small distributions. As with most New Zealand Lepidoptera, copper larvae are particular feeders – they eat only Muehlenbeckia of the dock family. This includes the tiny-leaved, ground-hugging M. axillaris and the extensive vines of M. australis, which can stretch 20 metres over the forest-edge canopy. Copper butterflies have their closest relatives in the cloud forests of New Guinea and in the temperate northern hemisphere. Certain species of boulder copper butterflies are among the world’s smallest, with a wingspan of less than 1 centimetre. The largest New Zealand coppers have a wingspan of up to 3 centimetres.Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve, Wellington region, New Zealand.
The name Turakirae tells us that this is the headland (rae) where the Rimutaka Range comes down (turaki) to the sea. Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve provides valuable habitat for a variety of plants and wildlife, most notably New Zealand fur seals, and preserves a well-defined sequence of earthquake-raised beaches. The five earthquake-raised beaches are internationally-renowned in scientific circles for the continuous record they provide of geological upheaval over the past 7000 years.
The most recent uplift occurred in 1855 when an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale raised the beach 2.5 metres at Turakirae Head and 1.7 metres in Wellington Harbour. The second beach ridge was uplifted by a similar ’quake around 1460 AD. This is now about 8 metres above sea level and is separated from the 1855 beach by a platform of large boulders. A similar platform separates the third beach at about 16 metres above sea level. This beach is estimated to have been uplifted about 3000 years ago. Two other ridges are mostly obscured by screes from the steep slopes behind. They occur at 22 and 25 metres above sea level. Evidence of much earlier uplift can be seen in the hills west of the Orongorongo River.
Up to 500 New Zealand fur seals stay at Turakirae Head each winter. The colony mainly comprises juvenile males, which spend their time here building up condition before moving to breeding colonies in other areas. During the breeding season they will not eat for three months or more, living off the fat reserves they build up over winter. This colony began in 1950 and has steadily increased since then to become the largest haulout on the south Wellington coast.
Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve also provides habitat for a variety of native birds and reptiles. Banded dotterel, caspian tern and variable oystercatcher are among the bird species that may be observed. Copper skink, spotted skink, common skink and common gecko are all present within the reserve.
The vegetation within the Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve consists of a mixture of salt tolerant herbs, tussock and reed associations, dune associations and coastal forest. Fire, both pre-European and more recent, has been the principal environmental factor influencing the present vegetation pattern. The vegetation is still subject to grazing by sheep, cattle and rabbits (all introduced animals). New Zealand plants evolved without mammalian herbivores so this grazing represents a threat to some species.
A nationally-threatened plant, the shrubby tororaro, Muehlenbeckia astonii, occurs within the reserve. A new population of shrubby tororaro was established at Turakirae Head in 1998 as part of a programme to avert the extinction of the species.
Common copper butterfly (female) - Lycaena salustius at Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve
It was a hot day in early summer and these beautiful little butterflies where everywhere, laying eggs on their food plants, Muehlenbeckia species, which were also abundant.
A New Zealand native species of Butterfly . A short-lived butterfly with individuals only known to live 1 to 2 weeks. The Common Copper has three main variations throughout the country, but even these vary throughout their respective ranges. Despite so many variations the Common Copper has a constant double wing vein marking in the centre of the hindwing but on the females this can be almost blurred into each other. Common Coppers have a greater tendency to travel then other coppers, which are not generally found more then 20-50 metres from the larval foodplant. All the coppers are all suffering from Wasp predation, especially paper wasps, as they are a good source of protein for the wasp's developing larvae. Eggs are laid on underside of foodplant leaves (always muehlenbeckia species, near the edge. Usually located on north facing projecting branches or shoots of the foodplant and on mature leaves. Greenish-blue in colour & look like a tiny flattened sphere with white ridges. They hatch in about 10 days. The larva eats a small hole near the top so it can get out, but will leave the rest of the shell behind, this gives the appearance of eggs with a blackish spot. The larvae are dark leaf-like green with distinct reddish black dorsal line & diagonal segment markings which can appear more like minute white spots. It has it's legs and head covered by fleshy side flanges (giving it a Woodlouse shape), it appears to have a slow slug-like movement. The larvae live about 6 weeks and have 4 instars.
The number and variety of copper butterflies in New Zealand is unrivalled worldwide. These mainly orange butterflies can be found throughout the country, including the high alpine zones. They have diversified into at least 40 species within four groups. No single species occurs nationwide, and many have very small distributions. As with most New Zealand Lepidoptera, copper larvae are particular feeders – they eat only Muehlenbeckia of the dock family. This includes the tiny-leaved, ground-hugging M. axillaris and the extensive vines of M. australis, which can stretch 20 metres over the forest-edge canopy. Copper butterflies have their closest relatives in the cloud forests of New Guinea and in the temperate northern hemisphere. Certain species of boulder copper butterflies are among the world’s smallest, with a wingspan of less than 1 centimetre. The largest New Zealand coppers have a wingspan of up to 3 centimetres.Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve, Wellington region, New Zealand.
The name Turakirae tells us that this is the headland (rae) where the Rimutaka Range comes down (turaki) to the sea. Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve provides valuable habitat for a variety of plants and wildlife, most notably New Zealand fur seals, and preserves a well-defined sequence of earthquake-raised beaches. The five earthquake-raised beaches are internationally-renowned in scientific circles for the continuous record they provide of geological upheaval over the past 7000 years.
The most recent uplift occurred in 1855 when an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale raised the beach 2.5 metres at Turakirae Head and 1.7 metres in Wellington Harbour. The second beach ridge was uplifted by a similar ’quake around 1460 AD. This is now about 8 metres above sea level and is separated from the 1855 beach by a platform of large boulders. A similar platform separates the third beach at about 16 metres above sea level. This beach is estimated to have been uplifted about 3000 years ago. Two other ridges are mostly obscured by screes from the steep slopes behind. They occur at 22 and 25 metres above sea level. Evidence of much earlier uplift can be seen in the hills west of the Orongorongo River.
Up to 500 New Zealand fur seals stay at Turakirae Head each winter. The colony mainly comprises juvenile males, which spend their time here building up condition before moving to breeding colonies in other areas. During the breeding season they will not eat for three months or more, living off the fat reserves they build up over winter. This colony began in 1950 and has steadily increased since then to become the largest haulout on the south Wellington coast.
Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve also provides habitat for a variety of native birds and reptiles. Banded dotterel, caspian tern and variable oystercatcher are among the bird species that may be observed. Copper skink, spotted skink, common skink and common gecko are all present within the reserve.
The vegetation within the Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve consists of a mixture of salt tolerant herbs, tussock and reed associations, dune associations and coastal forest. Fire, both pre-European and more recent, has been the principal environmental factor influencing the present vegetation pattern. The vegetation is still subject to grazing by sheep, cattle and rabbits (all introduced animals). New Zealand plants evolved without mammalian herbivores so this grazing represents a threat to some species.
A nationally-threatened plant, the shrubby tororaro, Muehlenbeckia astonii, occurs within the reserve. A new population of shrubby tororaro was established at Turakirae Head in 1998 as part of a programme to avert the extinction of the species.