Swallowtails (Papilionidae) |
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Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus). Female (top row left), male (top row right). With up to 110 mm wingspan one of the largest butterflies in our catchments. Instar stages of the caterpillar are depicted in the row above and left.
The row below shows the caterpillar preparing to pupate away from the host plant, and the chrysalis secured firmly by silken threads. |
Among its local native larval food plants are Citrus australis (Native Lime), Flindersia australis (Crow’s Ash), F. bennettiana (Bennet’s Ash), F. collina (Leopard Ash), F. schottiana (Bumpy Ash), and Geijera salicifolia (Brush Wilga).
The Orchard Swallowtail is well known to gardeners tending a variety of introduced citrus trees. |  |  |
 |  | Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus). Pictured left. Wingspan to 75 mm and its main larval food plant is Cullen tenax (Emu Foot), native to our catchments. It also feeds on Citrus australis (Native Lime).
Clearwing Swallowtail, Big Greasy (Cressida cressida). Female pictured below right. Wingspan to 80 mm. Larvae feed on Aristolochia species, in our two catchments on Aristolochia pubera. |
 | Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon). Pictured left. Wingspan to 60 mm. Its larvae feed on the exotic Camphor Laurel, a severe problem along our waterways, and on the following host plants native to our catchments: Beilschmiedia obtusifolia (Blush Walnut), Cryptocarya microneura (Common Laurel), C. triplinervis (Brown Laurel), Litsea reticulata (Bolly Gum), Geijera salicifolia (Brush Wilga, Clerodendrum floribundum (Lolly Bush). |  |
Whites and Yellows (Pieridae) |
Caper White (Belenois java). Pictured above left. Wingspan 55 mm. The native larval food plant in our two catchments is Capparis arborea (Native Pomegrate, Caper Bush). - Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe). Pictured above middle. Wingspan to 40 mm. Local native host plants for the caterpillars are Cassia spp, Breynia oblongifolia (Coffee Bush), Indigofera spp. (Native Indigo), Sesbania cannabina (Yellow Pea-bush), Acacia. Maidenaii (Maiden’s Wattle). - Orange Migrant (Catopsilia scylla). Pictured above right. Wingspan 56 mm. The larvae feed on the native Senna retusa (or introduced S. surattensis). |
Danaids, Browns and Nymphs (Nymphalidae)
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Wanderer or Monarch (Danaus plexippus). Wingspan to 93 mm, Immigrant from North-America in late 1800s. Larvae feed on a variety of introduced milk weed plants (Asclepiadaceae) . |
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Common Crow (Euploea core). Adult pictured left, caterpillar above centre, and chrysalis right. The adult has a wingspan of up to 72 mm. |  |
The larvae of the Common Crow (Euploea core) feed on the following local native plants: Carissa ovata (Current Bush), Parsonsia straminea (Straw Pod), Hoya australis (Wax Flower), Secamone elliptica (Corky Milk Vine), Ficus coronata (Sandpaper Fig), F. obliqua (Small-leaved Fig), F. virens (White Fig) |
Glasswing (Acraea andromacha). Pictured above left. Wingspan to 56mm. Larvae feed on the local native Passiflora herbertiana (Native Passion Vine) - Common Areoplane (Phaedyma shepherdi). Pictured above right. Wingspan to 57 mm, Larval food plants Ehretia acuminate (Koda), Brachychiton acerifolius (Flame Tree), B. discolor (Lace Bark), B. populneus (Kurrajong), Aphananthe philippinensis (Axe-handle Wood), Celtis paniculata (Native Celtis). |
Blue Tiger (Tirumala hamata), pictured above, wingspan 72mm. Its larvae feed on the native Secamone eliptica (Corky Milk Vine) , also on Cynanchum carnosum (Mangrove Milk Vine). In our two catchments we see the adult butterflies during migration. |
Swamp Tiger or Black and White Tiger (Danaus affinis). Pictured above. Wingspan to 65 mm. The common native larval food plant is the climber Cynanchum carnosum (Mangrove Wax-Flower Vine/Mangrove Milkweed), in our catchments caterpillars also feed on the native Secamone elliptica (Corky Milk vine). |
Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi). Pictured above left. Wingspan to 47 mm. Among its local food plants native to our catchments are Bracteantha bracteata (Golden Everlasting Daisy) and Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Yellow buttons), - Meadow Argus (Junonia villida). Pictured above centre and right. Wingspan to 43 mm. Hygrophila angustifolia (Karamat), Goodenia grandiflora (Silky Goodenia), Goodenia rotundifolia (Round-leaf/Star Goodenia), Plantago sp. are the local native food plants of the caterpillar.
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Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), pictured above – male above centre, female above right. Wingspan to 90 mm. The larvae feed on the native Pseuderanthemum variabile (Love/Pastel Flower). |
| Symmomus Skipper or Splendid Ochre (Trapezites symmomus). Pictured above left. Wingspan to 47 mm. Lomandra longifolia is the favoured larval food plant. – Green Grass-dart (Ocybadistes walkeri). Pictured Above right. Wingspan 20 mm. The larvae feed on a variety of common grasses (Poaceae) and also Dianella sp. |
Dingy Grass-skipper (Toxidia peron). Pictured above left and centre. Wingspan to 30 mm. Larval food plants in our catchments: Dianella caerulea, Lomandra sp, Gahnia sieberiana and various grasses (Poaceae). - Yellow Palm-dart (Cephrenes trichopepla). Pictured above right. Wingspan to 36 mm. The caterpillar host plant in our catchments is Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (Bangalow or Piccabean Palm). |
Above left: Northern Silver Ochre (Trapezites maheta). Male. Wingspan to 29 mm. Its larvae feed on the local native Lomandra hystrix. – Above right: Orange Palm dart (Cephrenes augiades). In our catchments the Bangalow or Piccabeen Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) serves as local foodplant for its caterpillars. |
Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks (Lycaenidae) |
Small Dusky-blue (Candalides erinus). Pictured above left and centre. Wingspan 22 mm. In the Cubberla and Witton Catchments the larvae feed on Cassytha filiformis (above right), a parasitic leafless climber. |
Small Green-banded Blue (Psychonotis caelius), pictured above left. Wingspan to 32 mm. Alphitonia excelsa (Red Ash or Soap Tree), very common in our catchments, is the food plant for the larvae of this butterfly. - Plumbago Blue (Leptotes plinius), pictured above centre and right. Wingspan to 23 m. The specimen shown here is a male. Despite its small size this butterfly is easily recognised by its distinct pattern on the underside. The caterpillars use the local native Plumbago zeylanica (Native Plumbago), as their food plant. |
 | Common Grass-blue (Zizina labradus) – Wingspan up to 23mm. Among the local larval food plants are Emu Foot (Cullen tenax), Native Sarsaparilla (Harden- bergia violaceae), Native Indigo (Indigofera australis), Desmodium spp |
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