#kamehameha butterfly

MISC: Ramie moth still threatens native plants, but natural predators offer hope

In 2018, an invertebrate biologist discovered an unfamiliar black caterpillar feeding on a māmaki plant in Olowalu Valley. Experts confirmed the caterpillar was ramie moth, a species native to Southeast Asia that aggressively feeds on plants in the nettle family, like māmaki. The biologist’s sighting marked the first confirmation of ramie moth in Hawaiʻi and the US.

Non-Native Birds and Ants Likely Suspect in Decline of Kamehameha Butterfly

The cameras are showing that non-native, introduced birds are the likely culprits, along with some ant species. The video evidence of ants as suspects at Mānoa Cliffs is limited, but the researchers believe at other locations they are eating the caterpillars before they fully develop into butterflies.

History of the Kamehameha Butterfly Traced in New Children’s Book

Hawai‘i’s native butterfly, the Kamehameha butterfly, is a unique member of the insect kingdom. These are some of the things children of all ages will learn in the just-released educational book, “Butterfly for a King.”

Invasive Caterpillar Threatens Rare Native Plants on Maui

The invasive Arcte coerula (Ramie moth) caterpillar has been found on Maui. Biologists found the invasive species feeding on māmaki in Olowalu.