Butterflies of the Mount Lofty
Ranges and foothills
Even though the caterpillar food plant for many of Mt.Lofty butterfly species grows on the Adelaide plains these butterflies prefer a cooler climate and are unlikely to breed on the plains. Many of them like damp gullies and overhanging rock faces.
The caterpillar food plant of some of the ‘blue’ butterflies found in the Mt.Lofty Ranges are mistletoes from the genus Amyema and these are only found on the taller Eucalyptus and hills species of acacias, grevilleas, hakeas, casuarinas, melaleucas and sennas.
The caterpillars of other hills butterflies feed on various sedges found in gullies. These are plants you may not wish to plant in your garden because the plants like boggy areas however active conservation of wetlands in the hills is the best way to protect these skipper butterflies.
As there is more remnant vegetation in the Mt.Lofty Ranges and the hills face residents in these areas have a special responsibility to ensure garden plants do not escape into native vegetation.
Caterpillar food plants in this region
Ground layer
- Austral Trefoil (Lotus australis)
- Bent Goodenia (Goodenia geniculata)
- Bluerod (Stemodia florulenta)
- Button Everlasting (Helichrysum scorpioides)
- Climbing Saltbush (Einadia nutans ssp. nutans)
- Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum semipapposum)
- Coarse Dodder-laurel (Cassytha melantha)
- Common Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum)
- Common Verbena (Verbena officinalis)
- Downy Dodder-laurel (Cassytha pubescens)
- Grassy Bindweed (Convolvulus remotus)
- Native Lilac (Hardenbergia violacea)
- Native Sorrel (Oxalis perennans)
- Running postman (Kennedia prostrata)
- Scrub Nettle (Urtica incisa)
- Slender Dodder-laurel (Cassytha glabella f. dispar)
- Smooth-nettle (Parietaria debilis)
- Tall Scurf-pea (Cullen australasicum)
- Variable Glycine (Glycine tabacina)
Grasses
- Coast Spear-grass (Austrostipa flavescens)
- Coast Tussock-grass (Poa poiformis var. poiformis)
- Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
- Common Tussock-grass (Poa labillardieri var. labillardieri)
- Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)
- Kunai grass (Imperata cylindrica)
- Matted Tussock-grass (Poa clelandii)
- Meadow Rice Grass (Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides)
- Short-stem Flax-lily (Dianella brevicaulis)
- Slender Spear-grass (Austrostipa scabra ssp. falcata)
- Slender Spear-grass (Austrostipa scabra ssp. falcata)
- Slender Tussock-grass (Poa tenera)
- Thick-stem Tussock-grass (Poa crassicaudex)
- Umbrella Grass (Enteropogon acicularis)
- Wallaby Grass (Austrodanthonia spp.)
Sedges
- Black Grass Saw-sedge (Gahnia lanigera)
- Curled Saw-sedge (Gahnia ancistrophylla)
- Cutting Grass (Gahnia trifida)
- Fen Sedge (Carex gaudichaudiana)
- Hard Mat-rush (Lomandra multiflora ssp. dura)
- Limestone Saw-sedge (Gahnia deusta)
- Mount Lofty Mat-rush (Lomandra fibrata)
- Small Mat-rush (Lomandra nana)
- Soft Tussock Mat-rush (Lomandra densiflora)
- Sticky Sword-sedge (Lepidosperma viscidum)
- Stiff Flat-sedge (Cyperus vaginatus)
- Sword Mat-rush (Lomandra sororia)
- Thatching Grass (Gahnia filum)
Shrubs
- Annual Scurf-pea (Cullen cinereum)
- Bitter peas (Daviesia spp.)
- Bristly Bush-pea (Pultenaea acerosa)
- Cockies tongue (Templetonia retusa)
- Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
- Dwarf Wedge-pea (Gompholobium ecostatum)
- Fairy Fanflower (Scaevola aemula)
- Fleshy Saltbush (Rhagodia crassifolia)
- Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata)
- Leafless Bitter-pea (Daviesia brevifolia)
- Leafless Cherry (Exocarpos aphyllus)
- Mallee bush pea (Eutaxia microphylla)
- Narrow-leaf Bush-pea (Pultenaea tenuifolia)
- Nitre Goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum)
- rattlepod (Crotalaria spp.)
- Rock Wattle (Acacia rupicola)
- Sea-berry Saltbush (Rhagodia candolleana ssp. candolleana)
- Sesbania Pea (Sesbania cannabina var. cannabina)
- Showy Parrot-pea (Dillwynia sericea)
- Small fruited fan flower (Scaevola albida)
- Spiny Saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens)
- Spreading Nut-heads (Epaltes australis)
- Sturt Pea (Swainsona formosa)
- Twiggy Bush-pea (Pultenaea largiflorens)
- Umbrella Wattle (Acacia ligulata)
- Wallowa (Acacia calamifolia)
Trees and Mistletoes
- Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii)
- Box Mistletoe (Amyema miquelii)
- Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendula ssp. pendula)
- Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)
- Native Cherry (Exocarpos cupressiformis)
- Native Willow (Acacia salicina)
- Sweet quandong (Santalum acuminatum)
- Tea-tree Mistletoe (Amyema melaleucae)
- Wire-leaf Mistletoe (Amyema preissii)
- Wirilda (Acacia retinodes var. retinodes)
See also
Butterfly nectar plants of the Adelaide region
Plants information
Butterflies of this region
Australian Admiral
Vanessa itea
A common butterfly; caterpillars eat leaves from the nettle family and have adapted to the foreign stinging nettle.
Australian Painted Lady
Vanessa kershawi
Common in Adelaide gardens, particularly during spring as they migrate in from northern areas.
Black and White
Sedge-skipper
Antipoda atralba
Occurs along coastal cliff-tops south of Adelaide and in pristine heathland in the hills.
Blotched Dusky-blue
Candalides acastus
Common in undisturbed native vegetation areas. Caterpillars prefer to eat small, slender species of parasitic dodder-laurel.
Broad-margined Azure
Ogyris olane
Males fly around the tops of the mistletoe host-trees or gather on hilltops. Females fly around the mistletoe.
Chequered Copper
Lucia limbaria
Rare, occasionally seen in undisturbed fringe urban areas, or in meadow areas and reserves. Caterpillars eat native sorrel.
Chequered swallowtail
Papilio demoleus
A migratory butterfly that is common and widespread in the north, but now only an occasional visitor to Adelaide.
Common Brown
Heteronympha merope
A very common butterfly found in most areas retaining some native vegetation that includes grasses.
Common Grass-blue
Zizena labradus
Often very common, seen flitting low in open grassy areas. Caterpillars feed on herbaceous pea plants and have adapted to clover.
Donnysa sedge-skipper
Hesperilla donnysa
A common butterfly along the South Mt Lofty Range where it is found along valleys and in wetland areas.
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.
Fringed Heath-blue
Neolucia agricola agricola
Found in woodland and heath areas during spring. Caterpillars eat small, native bush-peas.
Genoveva Azure
Ogyris genoveva
The iridescent blue upper side is only seen when flying. Caterpillars feed on yellow mistletoe (Amyema spp.).
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.
Icilus Blue
Jalmenus icilius
Now rare in the Adelaide area. Usually occurs in small colonies in woodland areas near its host plant.
Large Brown Skipper
Motasingha trimaculata trimaculata
A rare woodland species found along the South Mt. Lofty Range. Caterpillars are found on certain Lepidosperma spp.
Long-tailed Pea-blue
Lampidies boeticus
Often common around its host plants of small pea flowering herbs, shrubs and vines. Caterpillars eat the flowers and pods.
Marbled Xenica
Geitoneura klugii
This butterfly flies in spring and summer, found in most areas retaining some native vegetation that includes grasses.
Meadow Argus
Junonia villida calybe
A common butterfly found in meadows, open reserves or vacant blocks. Caterpillars eat native and introduced herbaceous plants and weeds.
Phigalia Skipper
Trapezites phigalia
Found only in the Adelaide Hills along ridge tops. Caterpillars eat the mat-rush Lomandra spp.
Ringed Xenica
Geitoneura acanthi
An increasingly rare butterfly, it prefers pristine, damp grassy gullies along the South Mt. Lofty Range.
Saltbush Blue
Theclinesthes serpentata
Common around saltbushes on which its caterpillars feed.
Satin Azure
Ogyris amaryllis meridionalis
The bright metallic blue upper side is usually only seen when flying. Caterpillars feed on mistletoe (only Amyema spp).
Southern Grass-dart
Oxybadistes walkeri
Reasonably common; especially the eastern side of the city, its caterpillars feed on native and introduced grasses.
Two-spotted Line-blue
Nacaduba biocellata biocellata
Common in fringe urban areas on the plains; rare in the hills. Has a very small caterpillar that eats Acacia (wattle) buds.
Western Dusky-blue
Candalides hyacinthinus simplex
Now occurs east of the Mt Lofty Range, flying near its hostplant. Caterpillars feed on coarse parasitic dodder laurel growing on mallee.
Wattle Blue
Theclinesthes miskini miskini
Usually seen congregating on the tops of hills. Caterpillars eat the leaves of Acacia (wattles).
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.
Wood White
Delias aganippe
This is a rare butterfly in the Adelaide area, the caterpillars feed on mistletoe (only Amyema spp.) and quandong.
