© Caroline Camilleri & Abbie Spiers Frith & Frith Books, Malanda Qld. Valentine P 1991. Vol 1 & 2, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. and distribution. Their identification, biology Braby MF 2000. References with Mick. Dr Jenny Davis who initiated the first talks who visit Kakadu. We gratefully acknowledge of interest to his family, friends, and to those this finished product, we that it will be trust Althoughabout . he will never see to produce this guide by suggesting a pamphlet clan member Mick Alderson. Mick inspired us This publication is dedicated to Murrumbur eriss , May 2002 Butterflies of : Australian tropical butterflies. protection of people and the environment in Caroline Camilleri Ph +61 (0)8 8979 9711 eriss Abbie Spiers Ph +61 (0)8 89829100 Environmental Research Institute places that are highly valued by e-mail: [email protected] Locked Bag 2 Jabiru NT 0886 e-mail: [email protected] carries out scientific research for the Contact Officers of the Supervising Scientist the Australian community. 41961 NTUniprint 5.02 NJ Photo by Caroline Camilleri better understand the role they and other our awareness of our environment increases, we and delicate charisma. As their eyecatching colours ‘ of the sun’ with commonly referred to as are camouflaged. They others perfectly some bold and bright, many sizes and colours, the wetland and riverineand in particular habitats. greater appreciation of the biodiversity of the Park, existing knowledge of local people and lead to a the ecology of such will complement Kakadu. It is hoped that the scientific information on more about the ecology of plants and in Aboriginal representatives, who are keen to know done this in response to a request from local habitat in which each species can be found. We have scientific and common names the most likely habitats throughout the Park. We have recorded their species most likely to be seen in wetlands and riverine inhabiting Kakadu. Here we describe 20 of the and estuaries along the coast. prefer to inhabit paperbark forests, mangrove swamps out into the savanna woodland. Some butterflies that create deep gorges in the escarpment and flow pockets. Others frequent the shady creeks and springs Butterflies come in There are about 100 species of butterflies A INLPR,NORTHERN NATIONALAUSTRALIA PARK, BUTTERFLIES IN WETLANDS OF KAKADU monsoon great numbers in cool, species congregate in times of the year some wetlands. At certain vast, spectacular savanna woodland and thickets to the diverse shady, tranquil vine National Park, from throughout Kakadu in various habitats Butterflies can be found gorges. Photo by Caroline Camilleri. Below: Photo by Michael Saynor. breed in monsoon forest along river courses and in moist gullies The of an Oleander . These ‘milkweed butterflies’ and continuing dispersal of the species. cocoon, it begins the cycle once more by reproducing emerges from its silken When the adult butterfly occurs. transformation from caterpillar to butterfly , which does not feed, and where the fleshy spines. The next stage of development is the Some are spectacularly marked with large hatched, the caterpillar’s main aim is to eat and grow. plant, such as a wetland grass, vine or herb. Once food of leaves of the larval laid on the undersurface (caterpillar), pupa and adult. Eggs arelarva usually metamorphosis in their lifecycle, from egg through to source. Butterflies undergo a complete food is often closely linked to the adult or larval land managers. in collaboration with local people and to this effort Institute of the Supervising Scientist is contributing of the Kakadu region. The Environmental Research that extends across the landscape and habitats effort – an is an example of this effort analysis of butterflies ecology and habitat preferences of such species. This However, information on the first we need further potential as indicators of environmental change. of these animals and their illustrate the importance biodiversity in Kakadu’s wetland habitats will analysis of invertebrate anticipate that further species themselves needing conservation. We or pollution, identified as rare or threatened be used as indicators for monitoring climate change critical habitats under threat.preserve Butterflies can play in helping us to identify and invertebrates The preference habitats for particular of butterflies

KAKADU BUTTERFLIES Common name: Common Eggfly Family: — nymphs Common name: Blue-banded Eggfly Common name: Orange Lacewing Scientific name: bolina Common name: Evening Brown Family: Nymphalidae — nymphs Common name: Blue Tiger Family: Nymphalidae — passion-vine Preferred habitat: Irrigated urban Family: Nymphalidae — browns Scientific name: Hypolimnas alimena Family: Nymphalidae — milkweed butterflies areas, damp shady areas or moist Scientific name: Melanitis leda Preferred habitat: Rainforest and Common name: Dingy Ring/Dusky Knight butterflies Scientific name: Cethosia penthesilea creek banks associated with larval Preferred habitat: Irrigated urban gardens lowland rainforest where larval food Family: Nymphalidae — browns Scientific name: hamata Preferred habitat: Vine thickets, food plants associated with larval food plants such as grasses plant grows as a herb Scientific name: Ypthima arctous Preferred habitat: Wetlands, along creeks often along streams associated with Preferred habitat: Coastal woodlands and coast during the dry season larval food plants Browns, Nymphs, Danaines

Common name: Cedarbush Brown Common name: Oleander Butterfly Family: Nymphalidae — browns Common name: Lesser Wanderer Family: Nymphalidae — milkweed butterflies Scientific name: Mycalesis sirius Family: Nymphalidae — milkweed Common name: Glasswing Scientific name: core corinna sirius Scientific name: chrysippus Common name: Meadow Argus Family: Nymphalidae — glasswings Preferred habitat: Irrigated urban areas, open forest and Common name: Black and White Tiger, Swamp Tiger Preferred habitat: Wetlands Preferred habitat: Open country, Family: Nymphalidae — nymphs Scientific name: Acraea andromacha andromacha woodlands in coastal habitats associated with larval food Family: Nymphalidae — milkweed butterflies including lowland coastal paperbark including coastal and sub-coastal Scientific name: villida calybe Preferred habitat: Savanna woodland and moist plants. Breeds in areas of monsoon forest along river Scientific name: Danaus affinis affinis forests associated with food plants habitats Preferred habitat: Savanna woodland areas associated with larval food plant, courses and in moist gullies and gorges. Preferred habitat: Coastal wetlands including estuaries and along brackish creeks and mangrove swamps native passion vine associated with larval food plants

Skippers, Awls and Darts

Common name: Skipper Family: Hesperiidae — skippers, awls, darts Preferred habitat: Irrigated urban areas Common name: Common Grass Yellow Common name: Line Grass Yellow Family: — yellows Family: Pieridae — yellows Common name: Pale Green Triangle Scientific name: Eurema hecabe Scientific name: Eurema laeta Family: Papilionidae — swallowtails Preferred habitat: Savanna woodland and irrigated Preferred habitat: Tropical grasslands and Scientific name: Graphium eurypylus urban areas associated with larval food plants woodlands where food plant grows as a herb Preferred habitat: Wetlands along edges of vine thickets and such as herbs monsoon forest, associated with fruit-bearing food plants Whites and Yellows Swallowtails Blues

Common name: Spotted Opal Common name: Big Greasy Common name: Lemon Migrant Family: Lycaenidae — blues Family: Papilionidae — swallowtails Family: Pieridae — whites Scientific name: Nesolycaena uramelia Scientific name: Cressida cressida Scientific name: Preferred habitat: Woodland, outcrops and Preferred habitat: Tropical coastal areas and Preferred habitat: Irrigated urban areas gorges associated with larval food plant savanna woodland associated with larval food associated with larval food plant plants that grow as vines