Trapezites phigalia

Trapezites phigalia (Hewitson, 1868)
Heath Ochre
(one synonym : Telesto phlaea Plötz, 1884)
TRAPEZITINAE, HESPERIIDAE, HESPERIOIDEA

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

Trapezites phigalia
(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney, New South Wales)

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

Small Mat Rush ( Lomandra brittanii ),

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 ), and

Fish Bones ( Lomandra obliqua ),

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

female
(Photo: courtesy of Museums 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.