On this page are photos of butterflies seen elsewhere on the Dorrigo Plateau which at that time we had not sighted here at Claire Cottage. It may also be possible that these butterflies will visit Claire Cottage in the future or that they will visit your Dorrigo Plateau garden or property.
Any Butterfly with a question mark still requires confirmation of identification.
We have also began a list below of other butterflies that we think may be sighted on the Dorrigo Plateau but have not yet been sighted.
* The Regent Skipper Euschemon rafflesia (found at lower altitudes below the Plateau).
* The Glistening Pencil-blue Candalides absimilis (found once near Armidale)
* The Moonlight Jewel Hypochrysops delicia (usually flies around 04.00pm)
Any Butterfly with a question mark still requires confirmation of identification.
We have also began a list below of other butterflies that we think may be sighted on the Dorrigo Plateau but have not yet been sighted.
* The Regent Skipper Euschemon rafflesia (found at lower altitudes below the Plateau).
* The Glistening Pencil-blue Candalides absimilis (found once near Armidale)
* The Moonlight Jewel Hypochrysops delicia (usually flies around 04.00pm)
Family: Skippers - Hesperiidae
Silver-studded Ochre, Cathedral Rocks National Park on Blackberry flowers, 2 Dec 2014, 1.37 pm (Identification confirmed by Kelvyn Dunn)
Silver-studded Ochre - Trapezites iacchoides
Wingspan: 33mm - 38mm
Larval Food Plants:
Lomandra longifolia
This was one of many butterflies in Cathedral Rocks National Park (approx 1450 metres) feeding on a flowering Blackberry bush in December 2014.
The Silver-studded Ochres' flight period in the highlands of New South Wales is November and December.
Wingspan: 33mm - 38mm
Larval Food Plants:
Lomandra longifolia
This was one of many butterflies in Cathedral Rocks National Park (approx 1450 metres) feeding on a flowering Blackberry bush in December 2014.
The Silver-studded Ochres' flight period in the highlands of New South Wales is November and December.
Silver-studded Ochre Cathedral Rocks National Park, 4 Dec 2014, 9.48 pm (Identification confirmed by Kelvyn Dunn)
Golden Sedge Skipper - Hesperilla hopsoni
Wingspan: 30mm - 32mm
Larval Food Plant: Gahnia sieberiana, Gahnia grandis
Photographed in Cathedral Rocks National Park December 2014 (approx 1450 metres). Lives in wet montane open forest on the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales up to 1500 metres.
Golden Sedge Skipper ♀ Cathedral Rocks National Park, Dec 2014.
Golden Sedge Skipper ♂ Cathedral Rocks National Park, Dec 2014.
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Golden Sedge Skipper underside, Cathedral Rocks National Park, Dec 2014.
Golden Sedge Skipper ♂ Cathedral Rocks National Park, Dec 2014.
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Jan 2017 - This Golden Sedge-skipper was also sighted at Cathedral Rocks NP in early evening. It had orange markings on it's upper forewings and an orange mark on its upper hindwings but otherwise appeared brown/black and white.
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Jan 2017 - Another photo of the same Golden Sedge-skipper sighted in the late afternoon sun. We were only given a quick glance of its upper wings before it flew away. Unfortunately the camera failed to focus for this 2nd picture.
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Family: Swallowtails - Papilionidae
Four-barred Swallowtail - Protographium leostenes
Family: Whites and Yellows - Pieridae
Family: Nymphs - Nymphalidae
Family: Blues - Lycaenidae
Australian Hairstreak Pseudalmenus chlorinda barringtonensis
Wingspan: 26mm - 29mm
Larval Food Plants: Acacia melanoxylon and sometimes other species of Acacia
We found these larvae in Cathedral Rocks National Park (approx 1450 metres) in December 2014. This subspecies is found in the New England district above 1,000 metres in tall open Eucalypt forest in cool wet montane areas of the Great Dividing Range. There is one generation annually; normally on the wing October and November.
Wingspan: 26mm - 29mm
Larval Food Plants: Acacia melanoxylon and sometimes other species of Acacia
We found these larvae in Cathedral Rocks National Park (approx 1450 metres) in December 2014. This subspecies is found in the New England district above 1,000 metres in tall open Eucalypt forest in cool wet montane areas of the Great Dividing Range. There is one generation annually; normally on the wing October and November.
Australian Hairstreak larva with attendant ants
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Australian Hairstreak larva
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Dark Pencilled Blue Candalides consimilis
Wingspan 29 - 30 mm
Larval Food Plants: Flower buds and flowers of Ceratopetalum gummiferum and Polyscias elegans
Photographed in Cathedral Rocks National Park (approx 1450 metres) December 2014. Difficult to identify without seeing a clear view of the complete upperside.
Female Dark Pencil-blue, Cathedral Rocks NP, 4 Dec 2014, 9.45 am (identification confirmed by Kelvyn Dunn)
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Dark Pencil-blue, Cathedral Rocks NP, 4 Dec 2014, 9.46 am (Identification confirmed by Kelvyn Dunn)
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Dark Pencil-blue showing more of the forewings, Cathedral Rocks NP, 2 Dec 2014 3.13 pm