SAVING OUR SPECIES Purple copper spinifera Endangered

The purple copper butterfly () is one of Australia's rarest butterfly species. It is also A particular species of ant ‘husbands’ the known as the Bathurst copper butterfly. purple copper butterfly larvae in much the same way a farmer benefits from keeping The purple copper butterfly is a small butterfly with livestock. a thick body, and a wingspan of only 20−30 millimetres. The upper sides of its wings are black The ants house the butterfly larvae in their or deep brown, with a copper, green or purple nest, and shepherd them out to feed every iridescence when they're sunning. The undersides night, keeping them safe from predators. In of its wings are patterned with subtle brown, black return the larvae provide the ants with a and grey. Its black antennae are dotted with white sugary exudate called ‘honeydew’ to feed on. spots and have a black tip. Larvae hatch between October to January and rely This species is only found in the Central Tablelands on a ‘mutualistic’ relationship with a species of small of New South Wales. It is restricted to elevations black ant, itinerans. The ants above 850 metres in open woodland where a type escort the caterpillars up the plants to feed at night of blackthorn ( spinosa subsp. lasiophylla) and protect them from predation, receiving a sugary that grows at higher altitudes is found The larvae of reward in return. Ants also host the pupae within the species feed only on this type of blackthorn. their nest from February to August. emerge in spring (September to October) The purple copper butterfly is declining in numbers to mate and lay eggs, and they only live for about due to threatening processes, including habitat loss two weeks. On fine sunny days during the middle of or modification through clearing, spraying, grazing, the day they can be spotted flying low to the ground inappropriate use of fire, weed invasion and illegal and close to patches of blackthorn. collection. Support local action and help save the purple copper butterfly

Paralucia spinifera. Photo: Stuart Cohen/DPIE Paralucia spinifera caterpillar. Photo: Stuart Cohen/DPIE

Butterflies are not only a beautiful Project partners include the NSW Department of but play several important roles in the Planning, Industry and Environment, Central environment. They act as a pollinator and a Tablelands Local Land Services, NSW National food source for other species and are an Parks and Wildlife Service and landholders. important indicator of a healthy ecosystem. You too can help It is found in a total of 37 sites comprising less than If you want to support managers in looking after thirty hectares of habitat. It is thought that native purple copper butterflies or in caring for other vegetation clearing has reduced the area of threatened species you can find out more about potential habitat to small isolated remnants. The volunteering and research projects related to small size of these remnants compounds the harm threatened species at environment.nsw.gov.au/SOS that the various threats to the species may have on If you are interested in inspiring your community to the remaining sites. save this species, you can be on the lookout for this This species has been assigned to the Site- beautiful butterfly in appropriate habitat in Spring. managed stream for management under the Saving You can protect existing native vegetation and plant our Species (SoS) program. This species requires new native species in your gardens and on your site-based management in order to meet the properties. Native blackthorn can be found in objective of SoS to secure it from extinction in New nurseries in the Central Tablelands area. South Wales for 100 years.

The purple copper butterfly recovery effort aims to: SoS is a NSW Government flagship program • stabilise the population through the prevention of targeting on-ground action to secure threatening processes, then to increase the in- threatened plants and from situ population through habitat management, extinction. The program aims to increase the with the aim of down-listing the species to number of species that can survive securely vulnerable in the wild. • inform and involve land managers and the SoS can only succeed if we work together. community in recovery actions to enable We need your support to ensure that today’s participation in the conservation effort actions help to secure the future of NSW’s threatened species. • encourage appropriate research and assessment of potential and known sites to gain Find out more about threatened species in an understanding of the distribution, population New South Wales and the SoS program at dynamics and ecology of the species. environment.nsw.gov.au/SOS

Cover photo: A Stuart Cohen/DPIE Published by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2124 Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard). Fax: (02) 9995 5999 . TTY: (02) 9211 4723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au EES 20208/0458; December 2020