This month I have selected the Common Browns/ Heteronympha merope (Family Nymphalidae) as one flew around the marquee site on Tuesday during BGANZ Open Week near the Herbarium.

• They are one of the best known in southern Australia.
• They like open woodland and gardens.
• The females are 34 mm long and may live up to 8 months duration; the males are 38mm long and fly 1-4 m+ above the ground whilst maintaining territories and female chasing!
• They have a vigorous, jinking flight often feeding from flowers.
• They mate once and eggs are laid singly mostly on leaves of host plants.
• The larvae vary in colour and pattern and feed by night usually on common grasses.
• Pupa form among loose litter at the base of the host plant.

Included in the Southern Browns are also Solander’s Brown, Bank’s Brown and Wonder Brown.  So guess who first collected the Common Brown?  Sir Joseph Banks at Botany Bay in 1770! (p186)