Heteronympha paradelpha

Heteronympha paradelpha Lower, 1893
Spotted Brown
SATYRINAE , NYMPHALIDAE

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

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

These Caterpillars are initially green with a black head. Later instars are green or brown with a darker dorsal line. They are dark on the underside and have a forked tail. The head has a concave top. The Caterpillars rest at the base of their foodplant by day, and feed nocturnally on various species of Grass ( POACEAE ), including :

Snow Grass ( Microlaena stipoides ), and

Slender Tussock Grass ( Poa tenera ).

The pupa is mottled brown, and is formed in the debris on the soil surface.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The wings of the adult butterflies on top are brown with yellow patches. The wings each have an eyespot. Underneath, the wings are similar, but paler, and each hind wing has two eyespots. The butterflies have a wing span of about 4 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The eggs are dropped in the litter at the base of a foodplant by the female when perched on the plant. The eggs are cream coloured and round, with a diameter of about 0.7 mm.

Two subspecies have been described :

paradelpha Lower 1893, over most of southern Queensland , New South Wales , and Victoria , and

deervalensis Burns 1946, in New England.