The butterflies of New Zealand include twelve endemic species, as well as several introduced and migrant species. Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths, is the third largest insect order in New Zealand.
| Scientific name | Local English name[1] | Māori name | Native/introduced/migrant | Conservation status[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) | lemon emigrant | very rare migrant | |||
| Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758) | white butterfly | pepe mā | introduced | ||
| Lycaena boldenarum White, 1862 | boulder copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | ||
| Lycaena salustius (Fabricius, 1793) | common copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | ||
| Lycaena feredayi (Bates, 1867) | glade copper | pepe para riki | native, endemic | ||
| Lycaena rauparaha (Fereday, 1877) | Rauparaha's copper | mokarakare | native, endemic | ||
| Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) | long-tailed blue | native (self-introduced) | |||
| Zizina otis labradus (Godart, 1824) | common blue | pepe ao uri | native or possibly introduced | ||
| Zizina oxleyi (C. & R. Felder, 1865) | southern blue | native, endemic | |||
| Tirumala hamata hamata (MacLeay, 1826) | Australian blue tiger | very rare migrant | |||
| Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) | monarch | kahuku | native (self-introduced) | ||
| Danaus petilia (Stoll, 1790) | lesser wanderer | rare migrant | |||
| Junonia villida calybe Godart, 1819 | Australian meadow argus | very rare migrant | |||
| Hypolimnas bolina nerina (Fabricius, 1775) | blue moon | regular migrant | |||
| Vanessa itea (Fabricius, 1775) | yellow admiral | kahu kōwhai | native | ||
| Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla (Fabricius, 1775) | [New Zealand] red admiral | kahu kura | native, endemic | ||
| Vanessa gonerilla ida (Alfken, 1899) | Chatham Island red admiral | kahu kura | native, endemic | ||
| Vanessa kershawi (McCoy, 1868) | Australian painted lady | pepe parahua | regular migrant | ||
| Melanitis leda bankia (Fabricius, 1775) | evening brown | very rare migrant | |||
| Percnodaimon merula (Hewitson, 1875) | black mountain ringlet | pepe pouri | native, endemic | ||
| Erebiola butleri Fereday, 1879 | Butler's ringlet | pepe pouri | native, endemic | ||
| Dodonidia helmsii Butler, 1884 | forest ringlet | pepe pouri te pēpepe pōuri | native, endemic | serious decline | |
| Argyrophenga antipodum Doubleday, 1845 | common tussock | native, endemic | |||
| Argyrophenga harrisi Craw, 1978 | Harris's tussock | native, endemic | |||
| Argyrophenga janitae Craw, 1978 | Janita's tussock | native, endemic |
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 possible that some butterflies became extinct due to the large scale forest clearance after human settlement.[3]
Apart from the rare but consistent sightings of Australian migrant butterflies, several other species have also been recorded on the island over the years.
| Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) | Lincoln, Canterbury | 13 August 2019[4] | Unknown | |
| Blue triangle (Graphium choredon) | Prebbleton, Canterbury | 15 March 2017 | Unknown/wind current | |
| Asian swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) | Dunedin, Auckland | 1996, 2011, 2016[5] | Importation of citrus trees, importation of cars | |
| Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina) | Waikaia, Southland | January 2010[6] | Unknown/wind current | |
| Common Mormon (Papilio polytes) | Westshore, Hawkes Bay | 22 January 2014[7] | Likely importation of citrus/curry leaf plants |
The blue triangle (Graphium choredon), most likely from Australia, appeared in a Prebbleton garden feeding on aster flowers on 15 March 2017, likely carried by wind currents.[8] The Asian swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) has been recorded in Dunedin in 1996, when a pupa emerged on a car which had recently been imported from Japan. Two further sightings were made in Auckland in 2011 and 2016, likely from the importation of citrus trees.[9]
The black Jezebel (Delias nigrina) was seen in Waikaia, Southland, after it was rescued from a spider web in January 2010, with its arrival also attributed to wind currents or unknown factors.[10]
The common Mormon (Papilio polytes) was seen in the Westshore suburb of Napier, Hawke's Bay on 22 January 2014. The specimen resembled subspecies from Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is attributed to shipping of citrus or curry leaf plants.
Other species of Lepidoptera, such as saturniid moths have been sighted due to similar causes.