OUR OWN BUTTERFLY by Andrew Atkins
The Sunshine Coast is blessed by a great diversity of bush-land that is home to about 100 species of butterfly, despite the rapid increase of human population and land development. But some butterflies that are naturally restricted to micro-habitats are struggling to cope with the change. Extinction is imminent for some: the Australian Fritillary is gone – not seen for thirty years. The Swift Sedge-skipper (Hesperilla Sarnia) is on its last legs (wings?) here; also species of Jewel Butterfly (Hypochrysops) and Ant-blue Acrodipsas are now very rare. These species were probably never common, being restricted to discrete, scattered colonies of woodlands and wetlands in SE Queensland. Other uncommon butterflies, unique to Australia, need to be monitored closely – that is if we are to respect our custodianship of Australia’s amazing and valuable fauna and flora.
The Varied Swordgrass Brown (Tisphoine abeona) is a case in point. This is a remarkable endemic butterfly. It occurs scattered along the eastern Australian coastline and hinterland wetlands from South Australia to South East Queensland. All the populations have now become greatly fragmented since the arrival of Europeans. The ‘grand-father’ of butterfly research, Gustavus Athol Waterhouse (in 1914 and 1928) noted the remarkable variation of colour forms of this pretty butterfly thatranged from orange to white on a ground colour of brown, depending on its south to north occurrence in coastal or mountain localities. These varieties were named abeona, albifascia, aurelia, morrissi, regalis and rawnsleyi.
Tisiphone abeona rawnsleyi is a beautiful dark form (subspecies) found only from Frazer Island to the Caloundra areas. It is a medium-sized butterfly, chocolate brown in colour, decorated with eight ‘alarming’ eyespot markings on the wings (male illustrated). As its name implies the caterpillars feed only on Sword-grass (Ghania) growing in sandy, swampy areas in woodlands (particularly Paperbark). Adult fly low and slowly within small, sunny clearings and, when disturbed, escape with a remarkable ability to dodge within the sharp Ghania leaves. Our Sunshine Coast form (rawnsleyi) appears to mostly feed on the tall, slender Ghania clarkei, but they may occasionally eat G.aspera; G. Subaequiglumis and G. sieberiana.
In the last twenty years the colonies of rawnsleyi (and probably other subspecies) have dramatically reduced to isolated patches of wetlands. If you want to see this delightful butterfly look for it in undeveloped areas on the Sunshine Coast during sunny days in September to early December and again from late January to late April. The good news is that there is some evidence of small colonies moving into re-established areas of G. clarkei planted within new housing developments, particularly near natural swampy bush-land.
Keep a lookout for this dainty and uniquely Sunshine Coast butterfly, it is very vulnerable to the draining of swamps, the use of pesticides, weed-killer and also urban vehicles. Best areas: Boreen Point, Noosaville, Doolan, Mapleton, Maroochy Botanic Gardens and Ewan Maddock Dam.
We need to protect it.
Article for Petrie Creek Catchment Care Group, July 2019.
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