Large (Common) Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe
Wingspan: 37-40 mm
Sighted: August - June.
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ
Migration distribution: much of the rest of QLD, coastal half of NSW
Wingspan: 37-40 mm
Sighted: August - June.
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ
Migration distribution: much of the rest of QLD, coastal half of NSW
Large Grass-yellow possibly newly hatched
Female Large Grass-yellow dry season form
A female Large Grass-yellow, 19 Jan 2018
Nr. Claire Cottage Dorrigo Plateau, 10 Mar 2021
A recently hatched male Large Grass-yellow dry season form sitting on its chrysalis (Bellingen) having developed through it's larval stage feeding on Breynia oblongifolia.
A mating pair of dry season form Large Grass-yellows near Limeburner's National Park, Port Macquarie, NSW.
A mating pair of Large Grass-yellows at Dulguigan (near Mulwillumbah) NSW, Feb 2018
Thought to be a Large Grass-yellow egg on Breynia 5th May 2016
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Breynia oblongifolia
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On 5th May, 2016, we found tiny eggs that had been laid on new Breynia leaves. Six days later we discovered they had hatched overnight. The two larvae were so small we could only see them with a strong magnifying glass. We have noted of the two larva one is eating from the top side of the leaf and the other from the underside. The photograph below shows one of the larva after 24 hours since starting to eat. It measured 1.5 - 2 mm.
36 hour old (1st instar) thought to be a Large Grass-yellow larva on Phyllanthus
Large (Common) Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe
Wingspan: 37-40 mm
Sighted: August - June
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ
Migration distribution: much of the rest of QLD, coastal half of NSW
Butterfly Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval food plants:
It is difficult to tell this butterfly from the other Grass-yellows in flight although it is slightly larger. Even with a photograph identification is not easy.
It's bright yellow colour is a joy to see as it flies slowly around the property close to the ground.
The dry season form is paler in colour and has more prominent markings on the underside.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: often common during migrations
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Last autumn sighting - Dorrigo Plateau: 2018-10 April / 2020-30 April - a newly emerged wild specimen / 2021-11 May
Wingspan: 37-40 mm
Sighted: August - June
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ
Migration distribution: much of the rest of QLD, coastal half of NSW
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Aug 2006, 2020, Oct 2005, 2008, 2016, Nov 2002, 2018, Dec 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2018 - Jan 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019; Feb 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,-2020; Mar 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020; Apr 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020; May 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2016, Jne 2005
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Often seen on Plateau.
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Unsure, see photo above of 1st instar.
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: PHYLLANTHACEAE: Breynia oblongifolia
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage)
- ELSEWHERE: CAESALPINIACEAE - Senna coronilloides, *S. surattensis; PHYLLANTHACEAE: Breynia cernua, B. oblongifolia, *B. nivosa, Phyllanthus tenellus; FABACEAE: Aeschynomene indica, *A. hirsuta, Indigofera spp., Sesbania cannabina, S. javanicus; MIMOSACEAE: Acacia baileyana, A. deanei, A. maidenii, A. rubida, A. specabilis *A. nilotica, *Albizia julibrissin, *A. lebbeck, *Leucaena leucocephala.
It is difficult to tell this butterfly from the other Grass-yellows in flight although it is slightly larger. Even with a photograph identification is not easy.
It's bright yellow colour is a joy to see as it flies slowly around the property close to the ground.
The dry season form is paler in colour and has more prominent markings on the underside.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: often common during migrations
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Last autumn sighting - Dorrigo Plateau: 2018-10 April / 2020-30 April - a newly emerged wild specimen / 2021-11 May
