Nettles sting but lure butterflies

It is hoped a prickly plant regarded as a weed by many gardeners will prove to be a haven for a native butterfly.

Stinging nettles have been planted on a patch of ground no bigger than half a tennis court in Manor Park, Lower Hutt, in an effort to boost the red admiral population.

Conservationist and Lower Hutt Forest and Bird committee member Gerry Brackenbury said he hoped the patch of nettles could become a sanctuary for the red admirals which were once very common all over the country.

He and a group of volunteers have been planting native nettles, a favourite food of red admiral caterpillars, in an effort to encourage the butterflies to lay their eggs on the plants. The nettles can give unsuspecting victims a painful sting, but that is why caterpillars like them. They are food for the growing caterpillars and provide protection from predators.

‘‘We have to be careful with them as they can give you a very nasty sting.’’

The first 25 plants went into the ground two weeks ago. The group has more being grown from seed at the Upper Hutt Forest and Bird nursery which will be ready to be planted next year.

Brackenbury has always been interested in natural history and has been involved with conservation in New Zealand since he emigrated from the United Kingdom in the 1970s. Last year he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation.

He started the red admiral project earlier this year. ‘‘We only have about 20 species of butterfly in New Zealand and the red admiral is one of the more beautiful and grander of them.’’

The project was kickstarted when the group received $2000 from a private donor.

Sourcing the native stinging nettles was one of the most difficult parts of the project.

‘‘Most nurseries don’t grow them for obvious reasons but it’s no different to planting other native species.’’

George Gibbs, research associate at Victoria University School of Biological Sciences and an expert on New Zealand butterflies, said it was likely the red admiral population had declined in recent times, but they were not yet at critical levels.

He said the population declines were likely because of the widespread removal of nettles from lawns and parks, and predation from parasitic wasps on red admiral pupae. A Petone man sleeping inside a caravan got a rude awakening in the middle of the night when he realised he was on the move.

The man rang police just after midnight yesterday, saying the caravan he was inside was being stolen.

The man stayed on the line, as a ute towed the caravan from Petone to Wainuiomata where it was stopped by police.

Police said a pump action BB gun and ammunition were found in the ute.

A 36-year-old Lower Hutt man was due to appear in the Hutt Valley District court yesterday.

He was charged with theft and possession of ammunition as well as burglary, in relation to a previous offence.