Butterfly farm spreads wings

Outside the home of Ian and Jill Wright reads a sign that says ‘‘butterflies welcome’’.

With hundreds of swan plants planted on their property in Hope, near Nelson, butterflies are welcome indeed.

The retired couple breed monarch butterflies and among the thousands that are raised in tunnel houses on the property in Hope, wild butterflies also come to feast on the plants.

Ian Knight said the idea for the business came after his daughter, who works as celebrant, mentioned that she had officiated a wedding where the couple had released live butterflies. She was surprised to learn at the time that there was only one place in the country they could be purchased from.

Ian said she encouraged him to plant a few more swan plants and have a go and around eight years ago, the business Occasional Monarchy was born.

‘‘Here we are,’’ Ian said. ‘‘Hun- dreds of swan plants and thousands of butterflies at various stages of development.’’

Throughout the summer, the monarch butterflies are raised on the Knights’ property and then sent around the country for live release at weddings, funerals and other special occasions. There is a minimum order of two boxed butterflies for $45.

The butterflies are kept cool in the post with a ice pack and they sleep while it is dark.

Ian said breeding butterflies was his ‘‘dream job’’.

‘‘The pleasure of walking through the tunnel house with the butterflies, especially in the morning with the sun shining, the butterflies are active and flying around, it is such an awesome sight.’’

The season usually began in late November when the butterflies began to lay their eggs. The population had ‘‘gone crazy’’ in the last few weeks with Monarchs hatching.

Jill said next summer, they hoped to have open days for the public.

Her death notice said that she died ‘‘suddenly but peacefully’’.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Johnston said a scene examination had been completed and Archer’s death was not being treated as suspicious.

However, police were seeking information from the public as they investigated the death on behalf of the coroner.

Johnston said police believed Archer was from Palmerston North and had only been in the Motueka area for a couple of days, having travelled down from the North Island on March 17.

‘‘A mid-sized tan and white coloured dog was found with Miss Archer and it is thought she walking the dog at the time of her death,’’ he said.

The area where Archer was found is close to a public reserve on the western side of the river.

‘‘Police would like to hear from anybody who was in the area of the reserve on Sunday afternoon and may have seen Miss Archer at the river,’’ Johnston said.

Anyone who may have seen Archer on Sunday afternoon is asked to contact Nelson Police on 03 545 9869.