South Western Australia, Spring

[Padfield]

You've caught a tremendous range of variation in those otis, Kip. Especially nice to have that completely spotless individual. And all completely different from the otis I saw in 2010 in Kolkata, over 6000km away ...



It's amazing how those tiny Ziz blues - Zizula, Zizeeria and Zizina - are able to get about! You understand how painted ladies conquered the world, but these miniature Lycaenids ... Real heroes!

Guy

[Sooty]

The spotless individual was almost certainly just old and worn, though the spots are always rather faint even in fresh specimens. They certainly don't look anything like the bold markings on your lovely Indian specimen.

[Kip]

One of my books suggests they are easily picked up and blown by the wind.. but all the ones I saw kept to within a few inches of the ground Maybe picked up by humans in pre-imago form and transported in crops/ animal feed etc???
There was a huge variation in amount of wear and tear in much that I saw, maybe implying an extended emergence period for lots of species.... back to the "when can I see them" issue. Nacaduba bioccelata - a rather common species, must have been right at the end of one of those emergences, as all I saw were unworthy of posting, they were so shabby.
So that about does for the Lycaenids, with some notable and hoped for absentees... maybe another time.
Hesperids were few on the ground too, with only this one species, Trapezites argenteoornatus being seen during my whole time on the West coast.... It is a beauty though, as has already been shown in an earlier post... here are my efforts...

[Sooty]

We must speak before I go again!!!

If you do decide to come to Australia again drop me a line. The best way would be to use the email link on my website http://www.purvision.com

I love that underside shot of argenteoornatus. Trapezites skippers are great; there are lots of species and most of them are pretty cooperative, allowing the photographer to get shots of their upperside and underside etc. Most of the males are highly territorial, so even if you do disturb them they return either to the exact same spot or to another favoured perch nearby.

[Kip]

I will certainly do that, and thank you for your interest.
The few Skippers I saw acted very much as you describe
The only other Skipper I came across during the whole trip was I think Taractrocera ina ( please correct me if I'm wrong!, at Sydney Botanical Gardens...

On the Zizina front, I've found another photo of a pristine individual with very scant markings, in contrast to Guy's Indian otis...

[Sooty]

Your skipper from Sydney has a clear apiculus at the end of the antenna club which rules out the genus Taractrocera, though it wouldn't be ina anyway as the species is not found within hundreds of kilometres of Sydney. It looks to me like Ocybadistes walkeri, which is a common and very widespread butterfly.
There are a number of extremely similar species of little Grass Darts; when I go up to Cairns I hardly bother taking photos of them as the chances of me identifying them aren't great.

[Kip]

Ok, thank you very much, and for your reasoning... I sort of felt there was a high chance I got the ID wrong - I'll have another look and go with what you suggest

[Kip]

Moving on, perhaps the most ubiquitous butterfly seen was Vanessa kershawii the Australian Painted Lady, subtly different to our more familiar one in Europe. It was a strong flier, and very jittery, almost unapproachable at times. The flowering Privet in Melbourne however proved alluring to it, and other Nymphalids... not something I see over here much.

[David M]

That Australian Painted Lady is a beautiful insect, Kip. It looks far more like our European version than the American PL.

[Kip]

Yes, it seems very close, I really like the large blue centred hindwing spots, otherwise they look much the same.... they do behave a bit differently though

[Padfield]

That Australian Painted Lady is a beautiful insect, Kip. It looks far more like our European version than the American PL.

You're right - it is closer:

http://tolweb.org/Vanessa/70331

Guy

[Kip]

Hi Guy, do you think Tolweb represents the best on-line taxonomy for butterflies? I have used it before and find it fascinating !!

Here's another one from that page on Tolweb, a bit further removed...... Vanessa itea, the Yellow Admiral... I found this species extraordinarily skittish and very unapproachable for photos... best I could do...

[Sooty]

Vanessa cardui is included in the list of Aussie butterflies as it does show up on the WA coast. I checked out approximately 3 million Painted Ladies in the hope of finding cardui, but with no luck.
In years where there's been good rainfall in the interior, kershawi can be found in huge numbers.

[Padfield]

Hi Guy, do you think Tolweb represents the best on-line taxonomy for butterflies? I have used it before and find it fascinating !!

Like you, Paul, I'm merely an enthusiastic amateur and can't comment on the taxonomic accuracy of Tolweb. It must be very difficult to keep something like that up to date and it often lags behind the most recent thinking. But I do like the format and frequently refer to it to check the proximity or remoteness of relationships - especially interesting with Old World/New World groups.

I've always hoped to visit Australia one day. It won't be any time soon, but I think Sooty will be getting an e-mail or PM from me when the day comes!

Guy

[Sooty]

I'd be happy to provide you with info. Plenty of average-looking butterflies like this Hypochrysops delicia are waiting for you :

[Kip]

That is one gorgeous butterfly isn't it... Here's another, Junonia villida, the Meadow Argus...

I would always be up for another trip Guy if you needed company

[Sooty]

Junonia villida is a very common species here, despite being an accidental introduction (from Hampstead)

[Padfield]

Junonia villida is a very common species here, despite being an accidental introduction (from Hampstead)

Guy

[Kip]

Very droll , and informative... I didn't recognize that species as being Albin's Hampstead Eye...

The two Danaus species turned up in numbers after a week or two, though only in one place, a riverbank with stands of a Milkweed species, which they certainly favoured....

Firstly the Monarch, plexippus.....

Secondly the Lesser Wanderer petilla which was quite beautiful, though only 2/3 the size of the Monarch....

[Kip]

Not too many Satyrids in the neck of the bush I was in... two similar ones though, one at the end of it's flight period and one just getting into it...
Worn Geitoneura minyas, the Western Xenica....

and the larger, emergent Geitoneura klugii, the Klug's or Marbled Xenica...

- at least that's my assessment, but as always I'm open to correction