Telicota eurotas

Telicota eurotas (C.Felder, 1860)
(one synonym: Telicota eurychlora Lower, 1908)
Dingy Darter
HESPERIINAE , HESPERIIDAE

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

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

This Caterpillar is translucent pale blue and yellow, with a brown head, and a hairy tail having two black stripes. It lives in a shelter made from foodplant leaves joined with silk, and grows to a length of about 3 cms. It feeds on various Sedges ( CYPERACEAE ), including :

Creek Carex ( Carex polyantha ),

Leafy Twig-rush ( Cladium procerum ),

Hairy Nutrush ( Scleria ciliaris ),

Common Nutrush ( Scleria polycarpa ), and

Sumatran Nutrush ( Scleria sumatrensis ).

female
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The upper surface of the adult butterfly is brown with yellow markings. The males have a grey patch on each forewing. Underneath, the wings are a paler brown, and only the forewings have yellow markings. The wing span is about 3 cms.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

Various races of this species have been recognised including :

laconia in Cape York, Queensland, and

eurychlora in southern Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

Other races of this species are found in New Guinea and adjacent islands.