Trapezites iacchus

Trapezites iacchus (Fabricius, 1775)
Brown Ochre
(one synonym : Anisyntoides jacchus)
TRAPEZITINAE, HESPERIIDAE, HESPERIOIDEA

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

Trapezites iacchus
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The Caterpillar of this species is greyish brown with a dark dorsal line and a mottled head that has a black line down the middle.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The caterpillar feeds on various species of Mat-rush ( ASPARAGACEAE ) :

Riverine Mat-rush ( Lomandra hystrix ),

Spiny Headed Mat-rush ( Lomandra longifolia ), and

Many-flowered Mat-rush ( Lomandra multiflora ).

The caterpillar feeds nocturnally, living by day in a shelter made with leaves at the base of its foodplant.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)<

The pupa is brown and naked.

(Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

The adult male and female butterflies are very similar. They are dark brown with a series of translucent white and yellow patches on each forewing. The hind wings each have a central broad yellow band.

(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

Underneath, the forewings are orange with brown and white patches. The hindwings underneath are also orange with five white spots outlined in black. The wing span is about 3 cms.