Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust said the drop in Monarch butterflies was even more noticeable as they were once much easier to spot. Photo: ODT filesA survey has found that New Zealand's butterflies are in decline, with a drop of around 50 percent across most species. Since 2009, a member of the Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust has walked the same route weekly from October to March, recording butterfly numbers. That data was used to produce a report, which found common and paper wasps were to blame. Knight is urging the government to take the impact of those more seriously and is calling on volunteers to take part in butterfly transect monitoring.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 06, 2026 07:45 UTC