Eltham Copper ( pyrodiscus subsp. lucida)

Wingspan ~26mm Photo: Tony Morton

Note 1: The male occurs on the top row and the female on the bottom row. The upper side of the wings is shown on the left and the underside side of the butterfly wings is shown on the right.

Note 2: The plant name refer to the plant upon which the butterfly larvae (caterpillars) feed.

Other Common Names: Fiery Copper, Dull Copper

Family of : (Blues and Coppers)

Tony Morton’s records of Eltham Copper from the local area (between 2000 to 2013): Seventeen

Date Location Notes ridge on r. 50m past Coliban Water turnoff. 10-Jan-2002 Kalimna Park, Castlemaine, Vic. Track leads off r. to ridge. Two areas of big and small 23-Jan-2002 Kalimna Park, Castlemaine, Vic. several seen 21-Nov-2002 Castlemaine Kalimna ridge

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Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication Date Location Notes colony spread. Subsequent visits (to end Dec) show them on Kalimna Point and West down hill therefrom; South, East and North 30-Nov-2005 Kalimna Park from Ridge up to No 5 hole of Golf course. Adults seen on most shrubs of flowering Bursaria in this area. None seen in Bot Gdns (three visits only), however. Kalimna, N. of Point, down hill, by 25-Nov-2008 1 fresh male, Bursaria flowering seat 16 - 24/01/02 Kalimna Park, Castlemaine, Vic. several seen, inc. ovipositing female early Jan 2005 Kalimna Park, Castlemaine, Vic. very fresh on ridge 3-Dec-2006 Kalimna Ridge also seen in Jan 07 29-Nov-2009 Kalimna Ridge & Point 1 - 2 p.m. mainly male fresh 18º 17-Dec-2009 Kalimna Ridge & Point 3 - 4 p.m. both sexes fresh 21-Dec-2009 Kalimna Ridge & Point 11.30 - 12.30 both sexes fresh Bot Gardens, off Froomes Road, 15-Jan-2011 new area. Two seen. C'maine 10-Dec-2011 Kalimna Ridge & Point a few fresh males Upper Botanic Gardens, 10-Dec-2011 a few fresh males Castlemaine 24-Dec-2011 Kalimna Point several ? Males 30-Dec-2012 Kalimna ridge a few 1-Jan-2013 Kalimna ridge a few

Other local observations: None

Distribution Across Victoria (from Field 2013): Only known from a few locations across the state, including 2-3 populations in Castlemaine, 1-2 populations near Bendigo, one in Kiata and a fragmented population in Eltham.

Larval Host Plants (Field 2013): Sweet Bursaria ()

Larval association with (Field 2013): In Castlemaine, larvae are always attended by small ants capitatus.

Adult Flight Times in Victoria (from Field 2013): Uncertain if there are one or two generations per year within the Castlemaine populations. Most Victorian records of adults in flight are during December and January, but they have been recorded from September to April.

Conservation Status:

National Butterfly Action Plan (2002): Vulnerable in Australia Australian Environment Protection and Conservation Act 1999: Not listed

Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Listed as threatened. An Action Statement has been prepared. Advisory List of Threatened Victorian Invertebrates (DSE 2009): Endangered in Victoria.

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Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication Other Notes: Known populations occur in the local area at Kalimna Park and in the bushland reserve associated with the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens. Possible that other populations occur within forests of the local area where Sweet Bursaria is prevalent.

References and further reading:

Braby, M. F. (2004) The Complete Field Guide to the Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (2009) Advisory List of Threatened Invertebrate Fauna in Victoria – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Victoria (http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/threatened-species-and- communities/threatened-species-advisory-lists)

Field, R.P. (2013) Butterflies: Identification and Life History. Museum Victoria Publishing, Melbourne.

Sands, D.P.A. and New, T.R. (2002) The Action Plan for Australian Butterflies. Environment Australia, Canberra (http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/action-plan-australian-butterflies)

State of Victoria (2003). ‘Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement #39. Eltham Copper Butterfly Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida.’ Published by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment. http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/103216/039_Eltham_Copper_Butterfly_1993. pdf

Museum of Victoria Bioinformatics – Australian Butterflies: The Victorian Fauna http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/butter/

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Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication