Subfamily HESPERIINAE

This skipper subfamily is a group of orange and black medium to small size skipper butterflies. Most of them look similar and difficult to distinguish from one another. They rest with wings held erect.
 
 
The caterpillars feed on coarse grasses and palms.
 
Cephrenes augiades, body length 20mm
The Orange Palmdart lay eggs on palm trees. The caterpillars are green in colour. Caterpillars lay silk on the palm leaf, the silk will then shrink the two side of the leaf together to from the shelter. More information and pictures on this page.
 
 
Yellow Palmdart, Yellow Palm Dart
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Cephrenes trichopepla body length 20mm
Yellow Palmdart is closely related with Orange Palmdart and their caterpillar feed on palm trees as well. Please also check this page for more information.
 

 
Orange Dart, Grass Dart
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Suniana Sunias, body length 20mm 
This skipper butterfly is common in Brisbane bush. On it wings, the butterfly has orange colour patterns on brown back ground. The butterfly usually rests with forewings half opened and hind wings fully opened. Their larvae are pale green with black heads, build shelter and feed on different kinds of grasses. More pictures and information please click on here.
 

 
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Taractrocera sp., body length 15mm
This is a small skipper butterfly. Notice its long proboscis is inserted into the flower (2nd picture) and feeding on the nectar. Please also this Small Grassdart page.
 

 
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Ocybadistes flavovittata, body length 12mm
This is a small yellow skipper butterfly. The caterpillar is green in colour with dark brown head, feeds on blade grass. Please also visit this page.
 

Reference and Link:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 893.
2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p456. 

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Last updated: January 01, 2006.