About Dodonidia helmsii Butler, 1884
Dodonidia helmsii, commonly called the forest ringlet, is also known as Helms' butterfly, and has the Māori language names te pēpepe pōuri and pepe pouri. This rare butterfly belongs to the family Nymphalidae, is endemic to New Zealand, and is the only species in the genus Dodonidia. The caterpillars of the forest ringlet are nocturnal, and they feed on cutty grass (genus Gahnia) and bush snowgrass (genus Chionochloa) from spring through early autumn. Adult forest ringlets live for three to four weeks and are fast fliers. They can be found in January and February in clearings or near forest edges, primarily in beech (genus Nothofagus) forest located north of approximately Lewis Pass.
