Wairarapa’s locally owned community newspaper
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019
INSIDE: Cyclists to take on challenge in the name of charity P3
All about Stonehenge P10 ARE YOU A VIP CUSTOMER? Read ‘Garden Yarn’ on Page 9 to find out if you’re one of our
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Fighting for the Monarch Emily Ireland For two Masterton residents, helping the plight of the Monarch butterfly is just second-nature. Populations of the Monarch butterfly, considered native to New Zealand, have dwindled in recent years – thanks largely to caterpillars being preyed on by populations of paper wasps, and also a lack of access for the caterpillar to its favourite food – the swan plant. You’ve heard the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar – unfortunately, young Monarch caterpillars aren’t as fond of apples, chocolate cake, or cheery pies, as the story will have you think. Colin, who lives in Masterton and does not wish for his last name to be published, has been growing swan plants for the past 40 years as a hobby. He likens the labour of love to an “addiction” and checks his plants for new caterpillars every day. Colin has seen first-hand the battle facing caterpillars with paper wasps, which prey on the small caterpillars and feed them live to their nest. “Those wasps are going to wipe the whole population out if nothing is done about them,” he said. That’s why he set a little nursery up. On his daily rounds of his property, Colin, of Masterton with his little nursery. PHOTOS/EMILY IRELAND
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PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES