Introduction

The genus Netrocoryne comprises of two species – thaddeus from Papua New Guinea, and repanda from Australia. Both are large species that have brown wings with large hyaline windows. Netrocoryne repanda is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Canberra and Victoria.

Habitats

This species inhabits open woodland at elevations between about 100-1500m according to locality.

Lifecycle

The egg is orange with vertical ribbing. It is laid singly on a leaf of the foodplant, glued in position with a brown fluid. The caterpillar feeds on many trees and shrubs including Cinnamomum, Neolitsia and Endiandra ( Lauraceae ), Callicoma ( Cunoniaceae ), Podocarpus ( Podocarpaceae ), Alectryon ( Sapindaceae ), Notelaea ( Olacaceae ), Brachychiton ( Sterculiaceae ), Lophostemon and Acmena ( Myrtaceae ), Elaeocarpus ( Elaeocarpaceae ) and Scolopia ( Salicaceae ).

During the early instars it lives within a wonderfully constructed shelter which it makes by cutting a circular section from the middle of a leaf, leaving a tiny section connected, which it folds over like the lid of a tin can, and seals in position with threads of silk. When older it abandons the shelter and constructs a much simpler one, folding and silking an entire leaf.

The larva is pale greyish dorsally with dark olive green dorsal, subdorsal and lateral stripes. Below the spiracles it is yellow. The first and last segments are also yellow and carry a pair of black spots. Pupation takes place within the final leaf shelter. The pupa is white except for the thorax and wing cases which are dark brown.

Adult behaviour

Both sexes rest under leaves with their wings fully outspread when not feeding, and make periodic forays to feed at flowers or search for potential mates.

Introduction

The subfamily Trapezitinae comprises of about 60-70 smallish, robust, heavy-bodied skippers, all of which are confined to the Australian region (including New Guinea). There are 18 genera, of which Trapezites is the largest, with between 15-18 species depending on taxonomic interpretation. Unlike Hesperiinae, males of Trapezitinae do not possess an androconial sex-brand.

Each genus of the Trapezitinae has larvae that specialize in feeding on particular plant genera, e.g. Trapezites all feed on spike rush Lomandra.

Trapezites praxedes is found in southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

Habitats

This species is found in rough scrubby grassland in the temperate hills of eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria.

Lifecycle

The dome-shaped egg is white with and faintly ribbed. It is laid singly on leaves of the foodplants which include Lomandra confertifolia and related species of Laxmanniaceae. The larva is reddish or greenish brown with a faint dark dorsal line. It has a brown head with white dots. It lives within a tubular shelter constructed from the leaves, and feeds nocturnally. The pupa is rusty brown mottled with black, and is formed within the leaf shelter.

Adult behaviour

In hot sunny conditions the butterflies usually hold their wings erect, or slightly apart, when at rest.

When conditions are cooler they sometimes adopt the traditional Hesperiine posture, with forewings raised at 45, and hindwings held outspread. It is more common however for both the fore and hindwings to be held flat, with the hindwings obscured, as shown in the photo at the top of this page.

Males are highly territorial, defending their patches of ground vigorously. If one male intrudes into the territory of another, the pair spiral skywards to a height of several metres, revolving around each other at high speed, until the intruding male relinquishes claim to the territory and flies away. The winning male then returns to his original perching place. The butterflies make a loud humming or whirring noise as they fly.

Introduction

The subfamily Trapezitinae comprises of about 60-70 smallish, robust, heavy-bodied skippers, all of which are confined to the Australian region (including New Guinea). There are 18 genera, of which Trapezites is the largest, with between 15-18 species depending on taxonomic interpretation. Unlike Hesperiinae, males of Trapezitinae do not possess an androconial sex-brand.

Each genus of the Trapezitinae has larvae that specialize in feeding on particular plant genera, e.g. Trapezites all feed on spike rush Lomandra.

Trapezites eliena is found in southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Habitats

This species is found in rough scrubby grassland in the temperate hills of eastern Australia.

Lifecycle

The dome-shaped egg is laid singly on leaves of the foodplants which include Lomandra confertifolia and related species of Laxmanniaceae. The larva is greenish or pinkish brown, peppered with tiny dark spots, and has a series of faint dorsal and lateral stripes. It has a large dark brown head. It lives within a tubular shelter constructed from the leaves, and feeds nocturnally. The pupa is pale brown, and is formed within the leaf shelter.

Adult behaviour

In hot sunny conditions the butterflies usually hold their wings erect, or slightly apart, when at rest.

When conditions are cooler they sometimes adopt the traditional Hesperiine posture, with forewings raised at 45°, and hindwings held outspread. It is more common however for both the fore and hindwings to be held flat, with the hindwings obscured, as shown in the photo at the top of this page.

Males are highly territorial, defending their patches of ground vigorously. If one male intrudes into the territory of another, the pair spiral skywards to a height of several metres, revolving around each other at high speed, until the intruding male relinquishes claim to the territory and flies away. The winning male then returns to his original perching place. The butterflies make a loud humming or whirring noise as they fly.

Introduction

There are only 2 Tisiphone species – abeona and helena, both of which are endemic to Australia. The adults are distinctly marked with broad bands across the forewings and red or orange-ringed ocelli on the hindwings, so cannot be mistaken for any other species.

Tisiphone abeona is found in southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Canberra and South Australia. There are 8 named subspecies.

Habitats

This species inhabits glades and clearings in open woodland habitats at elevations between about 50-1200m according to locality.

Life Cycle

The egg is bright green and globular. It is laid singly on grasses at the base of a tussock. The larva is bright emerald green with a broad suffused red stripe along the back. It feeds in the evening on swordgrass Gahnia ( Cyperaceae ), and hides by day at the base of the plant in a head-downwards position. The chrysalis is bright green with a narrow yellow line along the inner margin of the wing cases. It is suspended by the cremaster from a blade of swordgrass.

Adult Behaviour

The adults have a slow lazy flight and bask with wings partly or fully outspread on low herbage.

Introduction

There are 3 currently recognised Geitoneura species – acantha, klugii and minyas, all of which are endemic to Australia. The three species all have similar Heteronympha-like patterns on the upper surface but are easily distinguished from Heteronympha and from each other by differences on the undersides.

Geitoneura klugii is found along the southern coastal region of Australia in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

Habitats

This species inhabits grassy clearings and glades at elevations between about 100-1000m.

Life Cycle

The egg is smooth, globular and cream in colour. It is laid singly or in pairs on the blades of grasses including Austrostipa, Brachypodium, Ehrharta, Joycea, Poa, Themede and Vulpia ( Poaceae ). The larva feeds diurnally. It is bright yellowish-green with darl green dorsal, subdorsal and lateral lines, and a green head. The pupa is pale green with yellow ridges. It is suspended by the cremaster from a stem.

Adult Behaviour

The adults rarely visit flowers and are more commonly observed at rest in the ground or among grasses.

Introduction

There are 3 currently recognised Geitoneura species – acantha, klugii and minyas, all of which are endemic to Australia. The three species all have similar Heteronympha-like patterns on the upper surface but are easily distinguished from Heteronympha and from each other by differences on the undersides.

Geitoneura acantha occurs in southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Habitats

This species inhabits grassy clearings and glades at elevations between about 200-1500m.

Life Cycle

The egg is smooth, globular and cream in colour. It is laid in groups on the blades of grasses such as Microlaena, Poa and Themeda ( Poaceae ). The larva is bright green with a pair of pale subdorsal stripes, a dark green mid-dorsal line, and a brown head with prominent knobby head horns. The pupa is brown with dark markings. It is suspended by the cremaster from a stem.

Adult Behaviour

The adults rarely visit flowers and are more commonly observed at rest in the ground or among grasses.

Introduction

The genus Hypocysta comprises of 12 species, found variously in Australia and New Guinea. Most Hypocysta species have elongated wings, and are dark brown on the upperside, with large whitish or orange patches. In the case of adiante the wings are more rounded and the orange extends to the edge of the wings in some examples, leaving only a dark apex. The hindwings of most species have large ocelli although again adiante is an exception to this rule, with the ocelli on the upperside barely visible.

Hypocysta adiante is found in the northern half of Australia, in Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.

Habitats

This species occurs in woodland clearings and glades, meadows and fields at elevations between about 200-1000m.

Lifecycle

The egg is smooth, globular and cream in colour. It is laid singly on the underside of a grass blade. When fully grown the larva is pinkish-brown with numerous thin dark longitudinal lines. It feeds at dusk on kangaroo grass Themeda ( Poaceae ).

Adult behaviour

The adults sometimes visit flowers but are more often seen basking or resting among grasses.

Introduction

The genus Hypocysta comprises of 12 species, found variously in Australia and New Guinea. Most Hypocysta species have elongated wings, and are dark brown on the upperside, with large orange or white patches. The hindwings usually have prominent ocelli.

Hypocysta metirius is a common species found in south Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

Habitats

This species inhabits grassy places at elevations between about 100-1500m.

Lifecycle

The eggs are smooth, globular and pale green in colour. They are laid singly in on various grasses and sedges including Gahnia, Cynodon, Eriachne and Alexfloydia ( Poaceae ). The larvae exist in two morphs: either pale green or light rusty brown. Both forms have numerous faint thin dorsal and lateral stripes. The pupa is pale brown, lightly mottled with darker brown. It is angular in shape and is perfectly disguised as a small curled dead leaf hanging from a stem.

Adult behaviour

To be completed.

Introduction

Mycalesis is one of the largest Satyrine genera, comprising of 88 known species, of which 2 have yet to be given scientific names. The genus is confined to the Oriental and Australian regions. 26 species occur on New Guinea but only 2 reach Australia – terminus and sirius.

The butterflies are instantly recognisable as a group, all being some shade of brown on both wing surfaces, and marked with a series of conspicuous ocelli, and a single straight median line across the underside of both wings.

Mycalesis terminus is found in West Irian, Papua New Guinea, New Britain and most of the smaller islands east of the Wallace Line. In Australia it is found only in Northern Territory and Queensland.

Habitats

This is a rainforest species and is commonest during the rainy season.

Lifecycle

The larvae feed on Imperata and various other unidentified grasses.

Adult behaviour

The adults are usually encountered singly or in two’s and three’s at light gaps in the forest, or in forest edge habitats.

Introduction

The genus Hypocysta comprises of 12 species, found variously in Australia and New Guinea. Most Hypocysta species have elongated wings, and are dark brown on the upperside, with large orange or white patches. The hindwings usually have prominent ocelli.

Hypocysta irius is found in south Queensland and New South Wales.

Habitats

This species inhabits grassy places including forest clearings, at elevations up to about 1500m.

Lifecycle

The eggs are smooth, globular and yellow in colour. They are laid singly in on various grasses such asa Cynodon and Imperata ( Poaceae ). The plump larvae exist in two morphs – either bright green or dark brown. Both forms have numerous faint thin dorsal and lateral stripes, and black heads with long white-tipped horns. The pupa is pale brown, lightly mottled with darker brown. It is suspended from a stem, and looks very much like a curled dead leaf.

Adult behaviour

The butterflies rarely visit flowers, and are more often seen resting or basking on grasses or low herbage.