These are small to medium sized butterflies, that look rather like a cross between a butterfly and a moth. There are 129 known Australian Skipper butterflies but not all live this far south or as high as the Dorrigo Plateau. Whilst some are beautifully coloured many are various shades of brown or grey and often have orange or white markings. They are mostly small to medium sized, fast flying butterflies with stout bodies and powerful wings.
Their caterpillars are predominantly grass and sedge feeders. You will often see Skipper butterflies flying close to the ground near to where their larval food plants grow. Their fast and low flight habit makes it difficult to identify them whilst in flight. However they tend to settle frequently, usually in sunny spots, which provides good opportunity for photographs. With Skippers photographs can greatly assist identification without the need to capture or kill these exciting smaller butterflies.
Their caterpillars are predominantly grass and sedge feeders. You will often see Skipper butterflies flying close to the ground near to where their larval food plants grow. Their fast and low flight habit makes it difficult to identify them whilst in flight. However they tend to settle frequently, usually in sunny spots, which provides good opportunity for photographs. With Skippers photographs can greatly assist identification without the need to capture or kill these exciting smaller butterflies.
This patch of Claire Cottage (CC) Scaly Buttons and the collapsed Parsonsia vine (left) are particular favourites of some of our Skippers.
There are many very similar Skipper species often making accurate identification tricky.
For amateurs, relying on memory for accurate Skipper identification carries risk. We quickly discovered that taking photographs greatly assists identification, however even then on occasions it can still prove difficult to tell some species apart. However digital photographs allow for instant enlargements and this along with a good reference book helps greatly to ensure accurate identification.
Identification frequently entails a close examination of small markings and colour shades on Skipper's wings, both upperside and underside. Therefore achieving photos of both upper and underside, where possible, is a great aid towards accurate identification.
Identification at times can prove to be tedious work yet it is highly necessary to ensure correct record keeping, which in turn assists scientific knowledge on how well a species is doing in a given location. Where we feel unsure with an identification we try to gain further opinions, it is important to us to have total trust in the identification we express in this website.
Taking photographs not only assists accurate identification it adds great excitement to the study of our wonderful butterfly fauna. Enlarged photographs often display normally unseen visions of these exciting little insects.
We also try to maintain accurate sighting records for all butterflies seen on our property recording the month seen, and for all our photographs, the date and the exact time of day of sightings.
Skippers in general are often not noticed or found to be attractive by casual observers. This is because of their often small size, their often less attractive colours and their fast flying habit, hence they are not always closely studied or accurately recorded. This suggests that 'maybe' there is more to discover about their breeding ranges and habits than has previously been observed.
Discovering new information always adds to the excitement of observing butterflies. For Skippers we remain keen to learn about all the species which live on our changing property. When we moved here in 2005 the land had been part of a cattle farm for up to 100 years, its kikuyu grassed paddocks were devoid of trees and its Rainforest remnants had been badly damaged by cattle. Today our Rainforest remnants are protected by a gazetted, for perpetuity, Rainforest Conservation Agreement. As part of the opportunity thus afforded us by preventing cattle from being on our property we are able to expand our Rainforest remnants - by natural regrowth and planned planting - whilst at the same time introducing more known Skipper food plants, gradually replacing the previous mono culture of kikuyu grass. We hope in time other Skipper species, found in northern and central coastal NSW, may discover our property and establish colonies here. Thus for us it maintains the excitement of searching for new species here on our property. We hope any knowledge we gain may perhaps assist conservation of the less common species.
We list here other Skipper species (Hesperiidae) not yet sighted on our property that we understand are found in 'close to coast areas' of northern NSW. It is our hope that some of these species may establish breeding colonies here at Claire Cottage as we continue reducing the amount of kikuyu grass whilst also introducing known Skipper food plants, most not currently growing at Claire Cottage.
NOTE: we have Lomandra spicata growing naturally in our rainforest remnants and are introducing more plants. We have introduced Lomandra longifolia and Lomandra hystrix over the past 10 years in large numbers.
Montane Ochre - Trapezites phigalioides - Lomandra filiformis
Heath Ochre - Trapezites phigalia - Lomandra filiformis, Lomandra multiflora
Silver-studded Ochre - Trapezites iacchoides - Lomandra longifolia
Northern Silver Ochre - Trapezites maheta - Lomandra hystrix, L. confertifolia, L. filiformis, L.multiflora
Yellow Ochre - Trapezites luteus - Lomandra filiformis, L. confertiolia, L. multiflora, L.longifolia
Black-ringed Ochre - Trapezites petalia - Lomandra filiformis, L.multiflora, L. longifolia
Orange Ochre - Trapezites eliena - Lomandra confertifolia, L. filiformis, L. longifolia, L. multiflora
Brown Ochre - Trapezites iacchus - Lomandra hystrix, L. longifolia, L. multiflora
Brown Awl - Badamia exclamationis - Terminalia sericocarpa
Regent Skipper - Euschemon raffilesia - Wilkiea huegeliana, W. macrophylla, W. austroqueenslandica
Small Grass Skipper - Toxidia parvula -
Two-brand Grass Skipper - Anisynta monticolae - Poa sp.
Two-spotted Grass Skipper - Pasma tasmanica - Microlaena stipoides
Southern Grass Skipper - Toxidia andersoni - Poa sp.
Bright Shield Skipper - Signeta flammeata - Poa tenera
Painted Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla picta - Gahnia clarkei
Golden Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla hopsoni - Gahnia sieberiana
Chequered Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla mastersi - Gahnia melanocarpa
Flame Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla idothea - many Gahnia sp.
Varied Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla donnysa - many Gahnia sp.
Two-spotted Sedge Skipper - Hesperilla malindeva - Gahnia aspera
Wide-brand Sedge Skipper - Hesperilla crypsigramma - Scleria sphacelata
Mountain Iris Skipper - Mesodina aeluiopis - Patersonia sericea
Eastern Iris Skipper - Mesodina halyzia - Patersonia sericea, P. fragilis, P. glabrata, P. occidentalis
Dingy Swift - Pelopidas agna - Ishaemum australe, *Orza sativa, *Paspalum paniculatum, *Sorghum
River-sand Grass Dart - Taractrocera dolon - * Sorghum verticilliflorum
Wide-brand Grass Dart - Suniana sunias - *Megathyrsus maximus, *Paspalum urvillei, * Sorghum verticilliflorum
Dark Grass Dart - Suniana lascivia - Imperata cylindrica (Blady Grass)
Southern Sedge Darter - Telicota eurychlora - Carex polyantha, Cladium procerum
Pale-orange Darter - Telicota colon -
Southern Large Darter - Telicota anisodesma - Flagellaria indica (Whip vine/Supplejack)
Orange Palm Dart - Cephrenes augiades - CC palms, Archontophoenix, Calamus, Livistona
Yellow Palm Dart - Cephrenes trichopepla - CC palms, Archontophoenix, Livistona
For amateurs, relying on memory for accurate Skipper identification carries risk. We quickly discovered that taking photographs greatly assists identification, however even then on occasions it can still prove difficult to tell some species apart. However digital photographs allow for instant enlargements and this along with a good reference book helps greatly to ensure accurate identification.
Identification frequently entails a close examination of small markings and colour shades on Skipper's wings, both upperside and underside. Therefore achieving photos of both upper and underside, where possible, is a great aid towards accurate identification.
Identification at times can prove to be tedious work yet it is highly necessary to ensure correct record keeping, which in turn assists scientific knowledge on how well a species is doing in a given location. Where we feel unsure with an identification we try to gain further opinions, it is important to us to have total trust in the identification we express in this website.
Taking photographs not only assists accurate identification it adds great excitement to the study of our wonderful butterfly fauna. Enlarged photographs often display normally unseen visions of these exciting little insects.
We also try to maintain accurate sighting records for all butterflies seen on our property recording the month seen, and for all our photographs, the date and the exact time of day of sightings.
Skippers in general are often not noticed or found to be attractive by casual observers. This is because of their often small size, their often less attractive colours and their fast flying habit, hence they are not always closely studied or accurately recorded. This suggests that 'maybe' there is more to discover about their breeding ranges and habits than has previously been observed.
Discovering new information always adds to the excitement of observing butterflies. For Skippers we remain keen to learn about all the species which live on our changing property. When we moved here in 2005 the land had been part of a cattle farm for up to 100 years, its kikuyu grassed paddocks were devoid of trees and its Rainforest remnants had been badly damaged by cattle. Today our Rainforest remnants are protected by a gazetted, for perpetuity, Rainforest Conservation Agreement. As part of the opportunity thus afforded us by preventing cattle from being on our property we are able to expand our Rainforest remnants - by natural regrowth and planned planting - whilst at the same time introducing more known Skipper food plants, gradually replacing the previous mono culture of kikuyu grass. We hope in time other Skipper species, found in northern and central coastal NSW, may discover our property and establish colonies here. Thus for us it maintains the excitement of searching for new species here on our property. We hope any knowledge we gain may perhaps assist conservation of the less common species.
We list here other Skipper species (Hesperiidae) not yet sighted on our property that we understand are found in 'close to coast areas' of northern NSW. It is our hope that some of these species may establish breeding colonies here at Claire Cottage as we continue reducing the amount of kikuyu grass whilst also introducing known Skipper food plants, most not currently growing at Claire Cottage.
NOTE: we have Lomandra spicata growing naturally in our rainforest remnants and are introducing more plants. We have introduced Lomandra longifolia and Lomandra hystrix over the past 10 years in large numbers.
Montane Ochre - Trapezites phigalioides - Lomandra filiformis
Heath Ochre - Trapezites phigalia - Lomandra filiformis, Lomandra multiflora
Silver-studded Ochre - Trapezites iacchoides - Lomandra longifolia
Northern Silver Ochre - Trapezites maheta - Lomandra hystrix, L. confertifolia, L. filiformis, L.multiflora
Yellow Ochre - Trapezites luteus - Lomandra filiformis, L. confertiolia, L. multiflora, L.longifolia
Black-ringed Ochre - Trapezites petalia - Lomandra filiformis, L.multiflora, L. longifolia
Orange Ochre - Trapezites eliena - Lomandra confertifolia, L. filiformis, L. longifolia, L. multiflora
Brown Ochre - Trapezites iacchus - Lomandra hystrix, L. longifolia, L. multiflora
Brown Awl - Badamia exclamationis - Terminalia sericocarpa
Regent Skipper - Euschemon raffilesia - Wilkiea huegeliana, W. macrophylla, W. austroqueenslandica
Small Grass Skipper - Toxidia parvula -
Two-brand Grass Skipper - Anisynta monticolae - Poa sp.
Two-spotted Grass Skipper - Pasma tasmanica - Microlaena stipoides
Southern Grass Skipper - Toxidia andersoni - Poa sp.
Bright Shield Skipper - Signeta flammeata - Poa tenera
Painted Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla picta - Gahnia clarkei
Golden Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla hopsoni - Gahnia sieberiana
Chequered Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla mastersi - Gahnia melanocarpa
Flame Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla idothea - many Gahnia sp.
Varied Sedge-skipper - Hesperilla donnysa - many Gahnia sp.
Two-spotted Sedge Skipper - Hesperilla malindeva - Gahnia aspera
Wide-brand Sedge Skipper - Hesperilla crypsigramma - Scleria sphacelata
Mountain Iris Skipper - Mesodina aeluiopis - Patersonia sericea
Eastern Iris Skipper - Mesodina halyzia - Patersonia sericea, P. fragilis, P. glabrata, P. occidentalis
Dingy Swift - Pelopidas agna - Ishaemum australe, *Orza sativa, *Paspalum paniculatum, *Sorghum
River-sand Grass Dart - Taractrocera dolon - * Sorghum verticilliflorum
Wide-brand Grass Dart - Suniana sunias - *Megathyrsus maximus, *Paspalum urvillei, * Sorghum verticilliflorum
Dark Grass Dart - Suniana lascivia - Imperata cylindrica (Blady Grass)
Southern Sedge Darter - Telicota eurychlora - Carex polyantha, Cladium procerum
Pale-orange Darter - Telicota colon -
Southern Large Darter - Telicota anisodesma - Flagellaria indica (Whip vine/Supplejack)
Orange Palm Dart - Cephrenes augiades - CC palms, Archontophoenix, Calamus, Livistona
Yellow Palm Dart - Cephrenes trichopepla - CC palms, Archontophoenix, Livistona
A patch of Claire Cottage (CC) Scaly Buttons spreading in the Kikuyu. With cattle no longer eating our kikuyu it grows long and brown's off after frost in Winter.