Black (Common) Jezebel Delias nigrina
Wingspan: 56 mm
Sighted: All year
Foodplants:
At Claire Cottage
Wingspan: 56 mm
Sighted: All year
Foodplants:
At Claire Cottage
- LORANTHACEAE: Amylotheca dictyophleba (Brush Mistletoe)
- LORANTHACEAE: Amyema bifurcata (Bloodwood or Forked Mistletoe) , Amyema cambagei (Needle-leaf or She-oak Mistletoe), Amyema congener (Variable Mistletoe), Amyema miquelii (Bronze or Box Mistletoe), Amyema miraculosa (Fleshy Mistletoe), Amyema quandang quandang (Grey Mistletoe), Benthamina alyxifolia (Shiny-leaved Mistletoe) Dendrophthoe glabrescens (Orange-flowered or Smooth Mistletoe) Dendrophthoe vitellina (Yellow-flowered or Long-flowered Mistletoe) Muellerina celastroides (Banksia Mistletoe) Muellerina eucalyptoides (Gum-leaved or Creeping Mistletoe)
A male Black Jezebel feeding on Abelia in our garden, 25 Dec 2006
Our Buddleias attract many Black Jezebels in the summer, Female, 20 Dec 2017, 7.38am
A female in our garden sharing Lemon blossom with an ant, 28 Oct 2006
The male Black Jezebel has less black on its upper wings than the female pictured right, 8 Sep 2017
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A receptive female captured with her wings briefly open, 6 Sep 2017
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Possibly our most common butterfly as we sight it every month of the year. Whilst it has a very colourful underside, males in flight appear to flash black and pure white. Females are a cloudy white with more black on the upperside.
We seldom catch one with wings open for a photo, usually they close their wings as soon as they land.
They have a gentle flight often fluttering high around the trees on the edge of the rainforest where their larval food plant grows but the butterflies also spend time in the garden feeding on nectar plants.
Summer 2015/16 was a bumper time for this butterfly with large numbers constantly in our garden. The males darted about chasing others off their favourite Buddleia flowers or two or three males chose to pursue a female hoping to be the one to mate with her. Early Spring 2017/18 has again seen large numbers of this lovely butterfly spending long periods in our garden and along our rainforest edges.
We seldom catch one with wings open for a photo, usually they close their wings as soon as they land.
They have a gentle flight often fluttering high around the trees on the edge of the rainforest where their larval food plant grows but the butterflies also spend time in the garden feeding on nectar plants.
Summer 2015/16 was a bumper time for this butterfly with large numbers constantly in our garden. The males darted about chasing others off their favourite Buddleia flowers or two or three males chose to pursue a female hoping to be the one to mate with her. Early Spring 2017/18 has again seen large numbers of this lovely butterfly spending long periods in our garden and along our rainforest edges.
A male Black Jezebel resting in our kikuyu near our regenerating rainforest area.
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Female black Jezebel butterflies love feeding on our flowering Callistemon salignus shrubs in October each year - there will often be a dozen or more enjoying the nectar on each flowering plant
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Large numbers of Black Jezebels came to feed on our flowering Pittosporum undulatums in early Sept each year - male, Sept 2017
A female Black Jezebel enjoying a warm spot, Dorrigo Plateau 4 Aug 2018 (Photo Sidsel Baker)
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She obliged by opening her wings, Dorrigo Plateau 4 Aug 2018 (Photo Sidsel Baker)
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A male Black Jezebel feeding on our wallflower
Two Jezebel pupas on Settlers' Flax at Dorrigo NP, 2 Jan 2018 (spotted by Grandaughter, Charlotte aged 8)
A paratisised caterpillar trying to pupate
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Black Jezebel chrysalis at Claire Cottage
A close-up of the two pupa at Dorrigo NP, 2 Jan 2018
Female Black Jezebel just hatched from chrysallis
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Variable Mistletoe, Amyema congener subsp rotundifolia, grows on many of our exotic trees and is a foodplant of the Black Jezebel
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Brush Mistletoe Amylotheca dictyophleba grows on our property and is a foodplant of the Black Jezebel larvae
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Black Jezebels flying around a Variable Mistletoe clump growing on an Acacia, 8 Sep 2019
Last annual autumn sighting - Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau: 30/05/18, 23/05/20
Winter sightings - Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau: June; 2, 3, 10, 11
Winter sightings - Claire Cottage, Dorrigo Plateau: June; 2, 3, 10, 11
