Trapezites phigalia

Trapezites phigalia (Hewitson, 1868)
(one synonym : Telesto phlaea)
Heath Ochre Skipper
TRAPEZITINAE , HESPERIIDAE

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

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

These Caterpillars are grey with dark stripes and a dark brown head. The Caterpillars feed on:

Dense Mat-Rush ( Lomandra densiflora ),

Mount Lofty Mat Rush ( Lomandra fibrata ),

Mat-Rush ( Lomandra filiformis ),

Blue Mat-Rush ( Lomandra glauca ),

Dwarf Mat-Rush ( Lomandra nana ),

Twisted Mat-Rush ( Lomandra obliqua ), and

Small Mat Rush ( Lomandra sororia ),

all of LAXMANNIACEAE. The Caterpillars create a silken shelter at the base of their food plant, emerging at night to feed.

female
(Specimen: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The adult butterfly is dark brown with a series of yellow and orange patches on each fore wing. The hind wings each have aa rectangular yellow patch. Underneath, the they are grey, with the same spots as on the upper surface, but with a dark brown patch and an orange streak under each fore wing, and half a dozen small white spots under each hind wing. The wing span is about 3 cms.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The species occurs as several subspecies in the mountains and coastal areas of south eastern Australia, including:

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Victoria, and

South Australia.