New Zealand claims world's 1st successful eradication of pest butterfly

Environment authorities in New Zealand Wednesday claimed they had achieved the world's first successful eradication of a pest butterfly.

The invasive great white butterfly was first found in New Zealand in 2010 and had been wiped out after an eradication program over three and a half years, said Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

"This is the first eradication of an unwanted butterfly population in the world and is another impressive example of New Zealand's innovation and skill in removing pests," Barry said.

Great white butterflies had posed a major threat to native plant species and the primary sector economy since they were discovered in the Nelson region at the top of the South Island.

"It's now been two years since any have been seen, and we're confident we can declare them eradicated," Guy said.

Community involvement in the eradication effort had been crucial to its success.

A bounty of 10 NZ dollars (7.07 U.S. dollars) for dead butterflies had been a powerful incentive, with children netting 134 of them, Barry said.

"Another innovation was the use of a modified garden ornament to attract butterflies to be caught in a net," she said.

The great white butterfly was a major pest of brassica crops, with caterpillars feeding voraciously in groups and rapidly reducing host plants to a skeleton.

An independent assessment for the Department of Conservation had estimated widespread butterfly infestation could cost the country 43 million to 133 million NZ dollars (30.39 million to 94.02 million U.S. dollars) a year in control costs. Endit