The Weta (2008) 35(1): 10–11
©New Zealand Entomological Society, Inc.

Research article
Flowering English ivy (Hedera helix) attracting large numbers of yellow admiral butterflies (Vanessa itea)

A.C. Harris <sup>*,1

1</sup> Otago Museum, P.O. Box 6202, Dunedin, New Zealand
^*Corresponding author.

Abstract: On 17 April 2008 Mr K. H. White reported “many hundreds” of yellow admiral butterflies (Vanessa itea [Fabricius]) on flowering English ivy (Hedera helix Linnaeus) in the Elgin Street cemetery in Waikouaiti. In hot sunshine, I visited this cemetery on 21 April 2008, where mature trees and banks of shrubs grew throughout, many growing in rows at a right angle to others, so that the cemetery is protected from winds in all directions. Large numbers of yellow admirals flew, while others basked gregariously on tree trunks. In a northwestern corner of the cemetery, on a 3.3 m high, 13 m wide bank of flowering Hedera helix, I counted 350 yellow admiral butterflies, and 20 red admirals (Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla [Fabricius]) (Fig. 1). There were also many honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus), hoverflies, and other insects. The area throughout resounded with a constant, loud droning from thousands of insect wings. When I revisited the cemetery on 1 May 2008 I counted 520 yellow admirals and 10 red admirals butterflies on the big bank of flowering English ivy. On 16 May 2008, this bank of ivy, still flowering and in hot sunlight, supported 518 yellow admirals and 11 red admiral butterflies. Another count on 18 May confirmed these numbers.
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