Hesperilla ornata
Encyclopedia
The Spotted Skipper or Spotted Sedge-skipper (Hesperilla ornata) is a butterfly
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found along the non-tropical eastern seaboard of mainland Australia
and in the adjacent mountain ranges.
The wingspan
is about 40 mm.
The larvae feed on various Carex
and Gahnia
species, including Carex brunnea, Carex longebrachiata, Gahnia aspera
, Gahnia clarkei, Gahnia erythrocarpa, Gahnia grandis
, Gahnia melanocarpa
, Gahnia radula and Gahnia sieberiana.
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 along the non-tropical eastern seaboard of mainland Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and in the adjacent mountain ranges.
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 40 mm.
The larvae feed on various Carex
Carex
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
and Gahnia
Gahnia
Gahnia is a genus of sedges found in Australia and a number of Pacific Islands. The common name is due to the toothed margins...
species, including Carex brunnea, Carex longebrachiata, 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 erythrocarpa, 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 melanocarpa
Gahnia melanocarpa
Gahnia melanocarpa known as the Black Fruit Saw-sedge is a tussock forming perennial plant in eastern Australia. Often found in the wetter forests or in rainforest margins, common on the coast but also seen in the tablelands....
, Gahnia radula and Gahnia sieberiana.
Subspecies
- Hesperilla ornata monotherm (Lower, 1907) (Queensland)
- Hesperilla ornata ornata (Leach, 1814) - Spotted Skipper (New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria)