few from the 'Gong (Nov-Dec, 2010)

[moloch]

Here are a few recent butterfly shots from the Wollongong area. The most productive site at the moment is a small marsh called known as Killalea Reserve. This area has permanent water and is thick with cattails, Lomandra and has a few patches of Eucalyptus woodland. It is a rich site for skippers. I am studying these this year so hopefully will sort out more of the identifications as time progresses. Skippers are a difficult group!

Here is one of the most interesting skippers to me. It is called an Splendid Ochre (Trapezites symmomus) and it is a big skipper. Females have a 46 mm wingspread. They have a relatively slow and noisy flight when compared to some of the small speedsters.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/SplendidOchreTrapezitessymmomus1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/SplendidOchreTrapezitessymmomus3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/SplendidOchreTrapezitessymmomus4.jpg


Dingy Grass Skipper (Toxidia peron)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/DingyGrassSkipperToxidiaperon1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/DingyGrass-SkipperToxideaperon.jpg


Painted Sedge Skipper (Hesperilla picta)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/PaintedSedge-SkipperHesperillapicta.jpg


... others that I have not yet identified:
skipper1:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/skipper1.jpg


skipper2:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/skipper1-1.jpg

[moloch]

skipper3:
... one of the tiny grass-darts but which one?
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/skipper3-1.jpg


Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) -- common in open areas
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/MeadowArgusJunoniavillida2.jpg


Death of a Brown Ringlet (Hypocysta metirius). It made a bad choice about the flowers to visit.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/ringlet1.jpg


... a pretty arctiid (I think):
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/moth1.jpg

[Archduke]

great shots of the butterflies and moth, i didnt know that there were so many skippers up there. thanks for sharing these awesome photos.

[moloch]

Thanks, Mark. There is a whole stack of skippers here in Wollongong unlike that cold place where you studied.

I went out today and photographed a few more butterflies.

This is a male Common Brown (Heteronympha merope). Common Browns are one of the most abundant butterflies in eucalyptus woodland.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/CommonBrown1-1.jpg


Varied Sword-grass Brown (Tisiphone aboena) -- also fairly common usually around fern and Lomandra thickets.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/SwordGrassBrown2.jpg


Outer wings of a Splendid Ochre:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/SplendidOchreTrapezitessymmomus5.jpg


Outer wings of a Dingy Grass Skipper:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/skipper4.jpg


This is some sort of day flying moth. It was very active and would sit where it could watch what was flying nearby. If anything ventured too close, it would shoot out and chase the other away.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/moth2.jpg


I checked my sheets of tin up in the hills. These are like magnets to snakes. When the weather is not too hot, snakes will crawl under these for warmth. Lifting the tin is always exciting since I never know what will be there. Sometimes I lift and discover a big Red-bellied Black or Tiger Snake. More often, I find Eastern Small-eyed, Marsh, Golden-crowned or Mustard-bellied Snakes. All of those that I see are elapids (cobra family) and venomous. This is a little Marsh Snake that is acting all tough:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/MarshSnake1.jpg

[moloch]

I was especially happy to find another colony of Large Flying Duck Orchids (Caleana major) today. These seem to be rare or at least overlooked orchids. I only know of one other colony. Both colonies were growing in a similar situation where the soil was poor and gravelly. Both were at the base of eucalyptus trees but in an area with plenty of sun.

Aren't these amazing flowers? I would like to know their pollinator since they seem to be highly specialized.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/FlyingDuck2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/FlyingDuck3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/FlyingDuck4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Butterflies/BC/summer2010/FlyingDuck1.jpg

[The Plane]

Nice series again from you, David. The Large Flying Duck Orchids are really amazing, thanks for sharing this with us. :cheers:

[Archduke]

agree with chng, the flowers are amazing.
i didnt get why they are called that until i read the name again and looked at the flowers.

[moloch]

Thanks CKCHNG and Mark.

Here are a few butterflies from this afternoon. The weather was warm and sunny for a change.


Yellow (Australian) Admiral (Vanessa itea): These were very active today. I was not able to get a photo of the uppersurface since they usually sat like this with tightly closed wings.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Mt%20Kiera/July2010June2011/Admiral1.jpg



Black Jezabel (Delias nigrina): These are lovely butterflies but they usually remain high overhead. This pair was mating and sitting about 3m above the trail. This is a common butterfly in my area.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Mt%20Kiera/July2010June2011/Delias1.jpg



Common Brown (Heteronympha merope): female.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Mt%20Kiera/July2010June2011/Heteronymphamerope1female.jpg



Skipper that I can't identify:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Mt%20Kiera/July2010June2011/skipper1.jpg


Regards,
David

[Painted Jezebel]

David, have you ever come across the yellow aberration of Delias nigrina? I have only come across one, held in the Gay Collection at Exeter Museum.

[moloch]

Hello Les,

No, so far, I have only seen the typical form. Sometime through the summer, I should find these at closer range so will get better photos. They really are nicely coloured.