Chatham Island classic
Lois Croon, in her windswept corner of the Chatham Islands. The red admiral butterfly ( Vanessa gonerilla ida is unique to the Chatham Islands. Its Māori name is kahukura, meaning red cloak, though red cloak lining is more accurate, if rather less romantic! The outer sides of the admiral’s wings are camouflaged like army fatigues – impossible to spot when not in flight; its beauty is only seen when those wings open to reveal distinctive red and black markings. In the Chathams, red admirals feed on nectar-rich Hebe dieffenbachii and hatch their caterpillars on oversized southern stingi...
Source: stuff.co.nz