Silver Xenica - Oreixenica lathoniella herceus
Wingspan: 29 mm
Sighted: mid March to late May annually (we record our first & last butterfly sighting dates each year - but are not able to visit their flight zone every day).
Distribution: restricted to mountains/tablelands above 600 metres in NSW, more common in VIC & Tasmania
Breeding Site: This small colony here at Claire Cottage lives at around 840 metres above sea level.
Status here: Common in its short (approx 200 metres) narrow Claire Cottage flight/breeding zone.
Wingspan: 29 mm
Sighted: mid March to late May annually (we record our first & last butterfly sighting dates each year - but are not able to visit their flight zone every day).
Distribution: restricted to mountains/tablelands above 600 metres in NSW, more common in VIC & Tasmania
Breeding Site: This small colony here at Claire Cottage lives at around 840 metres above sea level.
Status here: Common in its short (approx 200 metres) narrow Claire Cottage flight/breeding zone.
We have a colony of Xenicas that breed in a grassy clearing under power lines where native grasses predominate. There are also lots of scaly buttons (Leptorcynhos squamatos) from which they get nectar.
Of an evening they congregate in small groups sitting on tall grass stems.
You may see these beautiful little butterflies on the Dorrigo Plateau in Autumn if you walk part of the Syndicate Track on Killungoondie Plains starting at the end of Slingsbys Road.
Silver Xenica - Oreixenica lathoniella herceus
Wingspan: 29 mm
Sighted: mid March to late May annually (we record our first & last butterfly sighting dates each year - but are not able to visit their flight zone every day).
Distribution: restricted to mountains/tablelands above 600 metres in NSW, more common in VIC & Tasmania
Breeding Site: This small colony lives at around 840 metres above sea level.
Status here: Common in its small (approx 200 metres) narrow Claire Cottage flight zone. Silver Xenica butterflies do not appear to venture far from their colony breeding ground. At Claire Cottage Silver Xenica's remain in a very limited zone on the property with only an extremely rare sighting of one that has ventured outside of the small, narrow breeding zone down to a lower altitude.
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Each year since 2006 - mid March to late May - (refer to Flight Season info below).
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Dorrigo National Park, Killungoondi Plains off Slingsbys Road Trail walk (late March to late May).
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: POACEAE - Microlaena stipoides, Poa enisformis, Poa labillardieri.
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage)
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Claire Cottage)
Status Dorrigo Plateau: uncommon Flight habit: Throughout the day in the limited flight period.
Pre-Flight Season - Claire Cottage Silver Xenica colony
We begin looking for the first eclosed butterflies mid to late March depending on weather conditions.
Flight Season - Claire Cottage Silver Xenica colony
The annual flight season here is limited to 6-8 weeks depending on weather conditions. NB we do not check this more remote area of our property every day hence flight season could be greater than the dates recorded.
1st sighting 2018; 01/04/18; last sighting 2018; 03/05/18
1st sighting 2019; 06/04/19; last sighting 2019; 05/05/19
1st sighting 2020; 09/04/20; last sighting 2020; 25/05/20 (minimum night temps from 30/04/20 for 15 days ranged between 4.0C and 11.0C).
1st sighting 2021; 02/04/21; last sighting 2021; 20/05/21 (minimum night temps from 11/04/21 for 2 nights ranged between 2.0C and 5.0C).
1st sighting 2022; 24/03/22; last sighting 2022; 08/05/22 (min March night temps before 24/03/22 mostly above 12C - still similar towards mid-May).
1st sighting 2023; 26/03/23; last sighting 2023; 20/05/23 (min March 12C) (min April 8C )(min May 5.7C)
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2021 Interesting Observations
24/03/21 - unsuccessful search - no sightings. Warm & sunny after 6 overcast days with approx 200mm of rain.
18/04/21 - 14.30-15.00 hrs 16 Silver Xenicas sighted in 30 minutes, intermittent sun.
19/04/21 in the morning we sighted 22 Silver Xenicas & in the afternoon 12 Silver Xenicas - so good to see numbers are holding up.
22/04/21 14.30 hrs. 15 Silver Xenicas sighted in 15 minutes.
25/04/21 11.45 am - 12.30pm C&T sighted in excess of 50 Silver Xenicas in warm sunshine with an occasional southerly breeze - wonderful to see such good numbers.
29/04/21 1300 hrs we sighted over 30 Silver Xenicas in warm sunshine in approx 20 minutes.
11/05/21 1300 hrs we sighted over 10 Silver Xenicas in warm sunshine.
21/05/21 a midday search for 30 minutes produced no sightings.
2022 Interesting Observations
24/03/22 12.00 midday 12 newly emerged Silver Xenicas sighted in approx 15 mins, little sun but warm with high humidity.
28/03/22 15.30 hrs 11 Silver Xenicas sighted in approx 15 mins, no sun and light drizzle + scores of Carpet Moths and one Chequered Grass-skipper.
09/04/22 16.15 hrs 8 Silver Xenicas sighted in approx 15 mins, no sun and light drizzle + still good numbers of Carpet Moths
10/04/22 12.15 hrs 8 Silver Xenicas sighteds in approx 15 mins, sunny day + still good numbers of Carpet Moths
15/04/22 11.45 hrs 11 Silver Xenicas sighted in 10 mins, rainy & no sun + Carpet Moths, Skippers, Browns & Ringlets - & huge numbers of leeches.
24/04/22 1400 hrs 6 Silver Xenicas - cloudy showery weather.
30/04/22 - 03.15pm 5 Silver Xenicas - cloudy, brief period of weak sun - no rain.
03/05/22 - 12.15pm 5 Silver Xenicas.
08/05/22 - 12.00 midday 1 Silver Xenica - mostly sunny and warm.
15/05/22 - No Silver Xenicas @ 12.00 midday - warm, some sun and still some drizzle but no butterflies of any species.
2023 Interesting Observations
26/03/23 14.30-15.00 - 10 Silver Xenicas sightings in 30 mins, a little sun, no rain + scores of Carpet Moths and some Crambids.
WE WERE AWAY 31/03/23 - 17/04/23
21/04/23 - 12.30-13.00hrs - 50-60 Silver Xenicas sighted in approx 30 mins, some drizzle on and off with a little sun shine.
29/04/23 - 12.45 C-43, T-21 walking separate paths, say 50+ sighted in approx 30 mins today, warm with broken sun initially changing to heavy dark cloud & wind gusts.
01/05/23 - 17.00 hrs starting to get dark. Whilst mowing the grass path that crosses the Xenica breeding zone, stopped for a minute to locate close roosting butterflies, found 10 quickly in about a square metre of their breeding area, they were sitting high on flora stems.
02/05/23 - 20.30 hrs Carol & I visited their flight zone at night. We walked different paths looking for roosting adults - we both found in excess of 30,
09/05/23 - 11.30 sunny. Carol & I visited the flight zone & in a quick walk through we counted 35 Silver Xenicas.
WE WERE AWAY 10/05/23 - 15/05/23 then o'seas visitors here until 19/05/23
17/05/23 - 14.30 hrs overcast & strong wind gusts. I visited the flight zone & completed a very quick walk through counting only 1 Silver Xenica.
19/05/23 - 15.00 hrs beautiful sunny day - one Silver Xenica spotted and photographed.
20/05/23 - 15.00 hrs another beautiful sunny day - 3 Silver Xenica spotted and photographed by C&T.
21/05/23 - 12.00 midday search for 15 minutes produced no sightings. The minimum temp last night was 2C.