The Big Butterfly Count

Have you heard about the Butterfly Count? Well between 18 July and 10 August everyone can count the number of butterflies and moths they see over a 15 minute interval (best times are from 10.45am to 3.45pm).  Dr Jeannie Sim, past FBBGSA Director, suggested we get involved this year.  And what a great idea!

So why is this happening?  Well the aim is for conservation of our Butterfly species and the way we do this is by gathering data on their distribution.  See https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org for more info.

To contribute towards this Count this year and beyond FBBGSA is going to increase our knowledge (via Lilygram) of Butterflies spotted in the Botanic Gardens.  If you have a sighting between Newsletters and want more information please send a description of the Butterfly to secretary@fbbgsa.org.au .

The following information is taken from the book “The Butterflies of Australia by Dr Albert Orr and Professor Roger Kitching.

There are 400 + species of Australian Butterflies in five families:-

  • The Skippers – Hesperiidae
  • The Swallowtails and birdwings – Papilionidae
  • The Whites and Yellows – Pieridae
  • The Nymphs and their allies – Nymphalidae and
  • The Blues and Hairstreaks – Lycaenidae.
  • Common Browns/ Heteronympha merope

    Common Browns/ Heteronympha merope

    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)