The Hesperiids or Skippers and Darts are distinctive small to medium sized butterflies that are often confused with moths. This is because they are often coloured in fairly sombre tones of brown, orange, grey or black, with white, cream or yellowish markings. Despite this, when closely observed they prove to be some of the most interesting butterflies. The males are full of pluck and will vigorously defend a small territory, seeing off much larger insects with a determined and rapid flight.

They are identifiable because of several distinct features. They have relatively small, triangular wings in relation to the their stocky little bodies. Their antennae terminate in clubs that are abruptly hooked, unlike those of most butterflies that are straight. Some of the smaller Dart species have a distinctive way of opening their wings while sunning. They open the forewings just a little, so they are basically held together over their backs, while the hindwings are spread at right angles to the forewings on a horizontal plane.

The caterpillars of Skippers are long and cylindrical with a large head. All of the South Australian Skippers caterpillars feed on sedges and grasses. While doing this they have an unusual method of protecting themselves by making tubular shelters from the grass or sedge leaves. The caterpillar can make silk with it’s mouth parts and uses this silk to either bind the two edges of a single blade of the foodplant together to form a tube, or gathers several grass or sedge blades together, which it also fastens by the edges to create a tubular shelter. This shelter is then silk lined and it usually only is open from one direction. The caterpillar hides in the shelter during the day, emerging at night to feed upon the plant. The caterpillar turns into a chrysalis hidden inside the shelter.

Hesperiidae butterfly fact sheets

Southern Grass-dart
Oxybadistes walkeri

Reasonably common; especially the eastern side of the city, its caterpillars feed on native and introduced grasses.

White-banded Grass-dart
Taractrocera papyria

Now rare and most likely to be seen along grassy creek lines; its caterpillars feed on native and introduced grasses.

Mottled Grass-skipper
Anisynta cynone

A rare butterfly found in coastal areas, but only flies during Autumn (March-April). Its caterpillars feed on grasses.

Donnysa sedge-skipper
Hesperilla donnysa

A common butterfly along the South Mt Lofty Range where it is found along valleys and in wetland areas.

Black and White
Sedge-skipper
Antipoda atralba

Occurs along coastal cliff-tops south of Adelaide and in pristine heathland in the hills.

Golden-haired Sedge-skipper
Hesperilla chrysotricha

Now threatened in the South Mt. Lofty Ranges. Most likely to be seen in pristine, open wetland areas south of McLaren Vale.

Flame Sedge-skipper
Hesperills idothea clara

A rare butterfly found in cool wetland areas of the South Mt Lofty Range. Caterpillars feed on large species of saw-sedges growing in shade.

Phigalia Skipper
Trapezites phigalia

Found only in the Adelaide Hills along ridge tops. Caterpillars eat the mat-rush Lomandra spp.

Orange Palm-dart
Cephrenes augiades sperthias

Accidentally introduced (1990) by the nursery trade, and now likely to be found in most parts of suburban Adelaide on the plains.

Large Brown Skipper
Motasingha trimaculata trimaculata

A rare woodland species found along the South Mt. Lofty Range. Caterpillars are found on certain Lepidosperma spp.