Heteronympha paradelpha

Heteronympha paradelpha Lower, 1893
Spotted Brown
SATYRINAE, NYMPHALIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA

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

Heteronympha paradelpha
(Photo: courtesy of R.P. Field, Museums Victoria)

These Caterpillars are initially green with a black head. Later instars are green or pale brown, with a dark dorsal line, a dark underside, and a brown head. They have a forked tail and the head has a concave top. The caterpillars typically 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 Museums Victoria)

The wings of the adult butterflies on top are brown with yellow patches. The wings each have an eyespot.

female
Museums Victoria)

Underneath, the wings are similar, but paler, and each hind wing has two eyespots. The butterflies have a wing span of about 4 cms.

egg, magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Ken Walker, Nowa Nowa, 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 a round pointed dome shape, and covered in about 1,000 microscopic dimples. The eggs have a diameter of about 0.7 mm.