The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust is concerned most people do not know about the country's native butterflies.
Jacqui Knight said Kiwis loved the monarch butterfly, and grew swan plants to encourage them, but our New Zealand butterflies needed support too.
"Every butterfly species has its own family of plants. We have a gorgeous red admiral butterfly and its host plant is stinging nettle," she said.
The problem was most people saw stinging nettle and thought: 'Let's get rid of it.' This was a problem for the red admiral.
Knight said the New Zealand copper butterfly relied on the pohuehue plant as its host.
"It's a wonderful small leafed shrub that grows near the coast," she said.
