Red Admirals Mural

Who remembers vibrant splashes of red against the urban canvas? Right before you stands the Red Admirals Mural, a testament to Auckland’s renewed commitment to nature. The Red Admirals Mural isn’t just paint on a wall. It represents the return of the kahukura, the “red cloak” butterfly, to the city. Once a common sight, the New Zealand red admiral (Vanessa gonerilla) vanished from Auckland after the insecticide spraying campaign against the painted apple moth. The mural embodies the city’s efforts to bring back this endemic butterfly. The Red Admirals Mural reminds us of the butterfly’s beauty. The top side of the forewings is mostly black, accented with a vibrant red bar and white, blue-fringed spots near the tips. The rear wings are dark reddish-brown, featuring a red patch adorned with four black, pale blue-centered circles. The underside, a mottled camouflage of white, brown, and black, hides a striking blue eyespot surrounded by white and red arcs. The Red Admirals Mural symbolizes the efforts of the Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust and Forest & Bird. They work to cultivate nettles, the red admiral’s host plant. The caterpillars, brown with white spots and fine hairs, grow within protective leaf tents, eventually transforming into the vibrant butterflies we celebrate here. The Red Admirals Mural is more than art. It’s a symbol of hope and renewal, mirroring the delicate dance between nature and urban life. It reminds us that even in the heart of a city, the flutter of a red admiral’s wings can reignite our connection to the natural world.