The butterflies of New Zealand include many endemic species as well as introduced and migrant species. Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths, is the third largest insect order in New Zealand.
Contents |
| Common name | Māori name | Binomial name | Native/endemic/introduced | Conservation status[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian blue tiger | Danaus hamatus hamatus | casual visitor | ||
| Australian meadow argus | Precis villida calybe | casual visitor | ||
| Australian painted lady | pepe parahua | Vanessa (Cynthia) kershawi | native | |
| Black mountain ringlet | pepe pouri | Percnodaimon pluto | endemic | |
| Blue moon | Hypolimnas bolina nerina | |||
| Boulder copper | Lycaena boldenarum | endemic | ||
| Butler's ringlet | pepe pouri | Erebiola butleri | endemic | |
| Chatham Island red admiral | kahukura | Vanessa gonerilla ida | endemic | |
| Common blue | pepe aouri | Zizina otis labradus | native | |
| Common copper | pepe pora riki | Lycaena salustius | endemic | |
| Common Emigrant or Lemon Emigrant | Catopsilia pomona pomona | casual visitor | ||
| Common evening brown | Melanitis leda bankia | casual visitor | ||
| Glade copper | Lycaena feredayi | endemic | ||
| Forest ringlet | Dodonidia helmsii | endemic | Serious Decline | |
| Lesser grass blue | Zizina otis | casual visitor | ||
| Lesser wanderer | Danaus chrysippus petilia | casual visitor | ||
| Long-tailed blue | Lampides boeticus | native | ||
| Monarch | Danaus plexippus plexippus | native | ||
| New Zealand red admiral | kahukura | Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla | endemic | |
| Rauparaha’s copper | Lycaena rauparaha | endemic | ||
| Small White (White butterfly) | pepe ma | Pieris rapae rapae | introduced | |
| Southern blue | Zizina otis oxleyi | endemic | ||
| Tussock ringlet | Argyrophenga antipodum | endemic | ||
| Tussock ringlet | Argyrophenga harrisi | endemic | ||
| Tussock ringlet | Argyrophenga janitae | endemic | ||
| Yellow admiral | kahukowhai | Vanessa itea | native |
Very little is known about any butterfly extinctions since human settlement of New Zealand since they leave few remains. The majority of New Zealand invertebrates are found in forests so it is likely that some butterflies became extinct due to the large scale forest clearance after human settlement.[2]