Hesperilla donnysa
Encyclopedia
The Donnysa Skipper or Varied Sedge Skipper (Hesperilla donnysa) is a butterfly
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the Australian Capital Territory
, New South Wales
, Queensland
, South Australia
, Tasmania
, Victoria
and Western Australia
.
The wingspan
is about 30 mm for males and 35 mm for females.
The larvae feed on various sword grass species, including Gahnia sieberiana. Other recorded food plants include Gahnia decomposita, Gahnia aspera
, Gahnia clarkei, Gahnia deusta, Gahnia erythrocarpa, Gahnia filifolia, Gahnia grandis
, Gahnia lanigera, Gahnia microstachya, Gahnia radula, Gahnia subaequiglumis and Gahnia trifida
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 30 mm for males and 35 mm for females.
The larvae feed on various sword grass species, including Gahnia sieberiana. Other recorded food plants include Gahnia decomposita, Gahnia aspera
Gahnia aspera
Gahnia aspera known as the Rough Saw-sedge is a tussock forming perennial plant, often seen in moist situations. The long strap like leaves grow to 80 cm long....
, Gahnia clarkei, Gahnia deusta, Gahnia erythrocarpa, Gahnia filifolia, Gahnia grandis
Gahnia grandis
Gahnia grandis is a tussock forming perennial plant found in southeastern Australia and Tasmania.Originally described by botanist Jacques Labillardière as Scleria grandis in 1800, it was placed in its current genus by S. T. Blake in 1969....
, Gahnia lanigera, Gahnia microstachya, Gahnia radula, Gahnia subaequiglumis and Gahnia trifida
Gahnia trifida
Gahnia trifida is a tussock-forming perennial in the family Cyperaceae, endemic to southern Australia.A herb, sedge or grass-like, with very rough leaf margins and underside. The species grows in dense tussocks, 1.5 metres and 1 metre across, with leaves over 1 metre long and drooping. It is found...
.
Subspecies
- Hesperilla donnysa galena (around Geraldton, Western Australia)
- Hesperilla donnysa albina (south-western Western Australia)
- Hesperilla donnysa aurantia (Tasmania and local islands)
- Hesperilla donnysa donnysa (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria)
- Synonyms:
- Hesperilla donnysa diluta
- Hesperilla donnysa icaria
- Hesperilla donnysa patmos
- Hesperilla donnysa samos
- Hesperilla donnysa delos