Estimates of the number of butterfly species that live in Hawai’i is about 1000. Two native species and roughly fifteen foreign species, which predominate the chain of islands, make up all of these butterflies.
The Kamehameha Butterfly, a genuine native butterfly, is the state insect of Hawaii. Pulelehua is its name in Hawaiian. Thanks to the efforts of some fifth-grade kids from Pearl Ridge Elementary School, it was selected as Hawaii’s state insect.
This Hawaiian butterfly’s beauty is comparable to that of several butterfly breeds all over the planet. However, this specific butterfly, the Pulelehua of Hawaii, isn’t anywhere else.
Identifying the Kamehameha Butterfly
This insect that represents Hawaii has brilliant red and black top wings. Red and black are recognized as global warning colors in the animal kingdom. Red, black, yellow, and orange are the colors that stinging insects utilize to warn off potential predators.
These caution colors are frequent in by venomous insects; this is known as “aposematic coloration.” The red and black markings of the monarch butterfly are similar to those of the Kamehameha butterfly; relatives of the Kamehameha that reside in North America, such as the painted lady and particularly the red admiral, Vanessa atalanta, display this similarity even more obviously.
While the bottom of the wings has a subtle combination of green and brown with a touch of white and red for variation, the upper side of the wings is blazing red and scares away predators by implying the butterfly is toxic.
A predator only notices this when the butterfly lands because it blends in with its surroundings. In the realm of insects, this form of camouflage is fairly frequent, particularly among butterflies who want to avoid sharp-eyed enemies like birds.
Life as a Caterpillar
The initial stages of the Kamehameha butterfly have spines running around their bodies, similar to many Nymphalidae family members. Those spines could defend it from parasitic wasps and fly assaults.
The caterpillar consumes the foliage of plants belonging to the Urticaceae family. The most popular term for this species is “stinging nettles,” which is something most individuals know.
These stinging plants provide the caterpillars with some degree of protection as they eat them. Stinging nettles are also a source of food for other Vanessa species, like the common red admiral of North America.
The Kamehameha butterfly is a representative example of an insect that completely transforms. The egg is on a variety of leaves, and when the caterpillar emerges, it consumes the plant’s leaves. It molts, commonly referred to as shedding, its skin as it develops. Instars are the intervals between molts, and the caterpillar molts once more after the final instar.
The caterpillar reaches the cocoon and chrysalis phase, also referred to as “diapause,” after the end of its skin-shedding cycle. Another name for it is “pupa.” The animal’s cells are reorganizing within the pupa. They essentially disintegrate into a sort of goop, which they subsequently reconstruct to form the adult butterfly or moth’s body and wings.
©iStock.com/Dmitri Zelenevski
Protecting Kamehameha Butterflies
On every island, sadly, its habitat has been drastically decreasing. Although the precise cause of the butterfly’s decline is unknown, new predators and the lack of appropriate habitat brought on by the spread of exotic plants are thought to have contributed.
Kamehameha butterflies spend a lot of time flitting across the canopy, making them challenging to spot or capture on camera. They occasionally spread their wings and bask in the sunlight on foliage, displaying their stunning colors.
Butterflies, particularly the males, are drawn to tree scars, especially those on the koa tree trunks where they consume fermenting sap. Females occasionally are lying down on or close to maki or other host plants.
The State of Hawaii’s DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife is in charge of the propagation and restoration of Kamehameha butterflies. The Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit and other funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have contributed to the program’s funding.
The nation’s top insect lab is located in the state, and state and federal financing has supplied the equipment required to preserve endangered Hawaiian tree snails and unique insects. Because of how successful the breeding effort has been, caring for caterpillars is now a full-time job.
Helping Kamehameha Butterflies Thrive
If you live in Hawaii, plant the host plants for Kamehameha butterflies in your backyard to support their populations. You can grow maki from seeds or purchase the plant from a nearby garden supply shop. The majority of native plant nurseries have it available.
It is preferable to “shop local” when it comes to the genetics of native plants, therefore be sure to utilize plants grown from seed obtained on your island, ideally as close to your home as possible. This is because various species and variations of maki may be exclusive to certain islands.
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