Dispar compacta

Dispar compacta (Butler, 1882)
(one synonym: Telesto scepticalis)
Dispar Skipper
TRAPEZITINAE , HESPERIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

Dispar compacta
male
(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

This Caterpillar is a greenish or pinkish fawn colour with darker markings and small white spots, and a black head. It grows to about 2 cms. It feeds nocturnally on various monocotyledons including :

Sedge ( Gahnia species, CYPERACEAE )

Grass ( Poa species, POACEAE ), and

Mat-Rush ( Lomandra species, LAXMANIACEAE ).

By day it rests in a shelter made from leaves and silk at the base of a foodplant.

(Photo: courtesy of Nick Monaghan)

The adult butterfly is dark brown with several white spots on each wing. Underneath, the wings are pale brown with several white spots. The hind wings underneath are paler brown with white spots. The female has some dark marks underneath. The male has a black line (sex brand) half way across the top of each fore wing. The wing span is about 3 cms.

The species may be found in:

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Victoria, and

South Australia.