Macleay's Grass-yellow Eurema herla
Wingspan: 30-34 mm
Sighted: August - October (2020).
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ down to SE QLD.
Migration distribution: some more southern areas of NT, much of western QLD, coastal half of NSW
Wingspan: 30-34 mm
Sighted: August - October (2020).
Breeding distribution of this Migratory species: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, FNQ down to SE QLD.
Migration distribution: some more southern areas of NT, much of western QLD, coastal half of NSW
A male Macleay's Grass-yellow (dry season form), Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 31 Aug 2020
A male Macleay's Grass-yellow (dry season form), Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 31 Aug 2020
Another dry season form, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 5 Sep 2020
One of a pair sighted, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 5 Sep 2020
One of a pair of Macleay's Grass-yellows flying in the garden, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 5 Sep 2020
Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 9 Sep 2020
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Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 9 Sep 2020
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A wet season form? Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 23 Oct 2020
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The same wet season(?) form. Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 23 Oct 2020
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Macleay's Grass-yellow Eurema herla
Wingspan: 30-34 mm
Butterfly Sightings: CLAIRE COTTAGE: Aug (2020), Sept (2020), Oct (2020), Nov (2020),
Distribution: northern WA, the northern areas of NT, QLD, eastern NSW to south of Sydney.
Migration distribution: in good seasons extends to drier areas of southern NT and western QLD as well as much of coastal NSW.
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Aug 2020, Sept 2020(10+), Oct 2020(12+), Nov 2020(1),
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Oct 2020 +(sighted Cathedral Rock NP 10/10/20)
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None known
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None known
- ELSEWHERE: FABACEAE - Chamaecrista cocinna (QLD), Chamaecrista maritima (QLD & NSW), Chamaecrista mimosoides (WA, NT, QLD & NSW), Chamaecrista nomame (WA, NT, QLD & NSW), Chamaecrista nigricans*.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: first identified August 2020 thanks to Kelvyn Dunn correcting our wrongly labelled Eurema hecabe photograph. We think we may have previously misidentified this species in flight thinking they were Eurema smilax or Eurema hecabe.
Our early Spring 2020 experience has emphasised the initial difficulty we had in identifying this butterfly from the other Grass-yellows in flight, until we recognised its low, slow, flight trajectory . Later we become familiar with its slow, low, flight pattern enabling us to 'id' them whilst on the wing. In Spring 2020 they are proving to be a common butterfly on the Dorrigo Plateau (including Cathedral Rock NP) and are also being seen nearer the coast around Bellingen. On one occasion in Oct 2020 we recorded 7 Eurema herla in the garden together.
Interesting Observation: Spotted a specimen flying on 18th October 2020 in light rain. It was taking short flights before settling in low grass. I watched it for several minutes.
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Last autumn sighting - Dorrigo Plateau: none to date.
Claire Cottage 2020 - first Spring sighting 31/08/20, Last Spring sighting 11/10/20
