Pelopidas lyelli

Pelopidas lyelli (Rothschild, 1915)
(one synonym: Parnara lyelli)
Lyell's Swift
HESPERIINAE, HESPERIIDAE

(updated 15 June 2009)

Pelopidas lyelli
first instar
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

This Caterpillar is yellowish green with green dots and a darker green dorsal stripe. The last abdominal segment is larger, and is sparsely hairy.

fifth instar
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The Caterpillar feeds on the leaves of various species of POACEAE, for example:

Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), and

Dallisgrass ( Paspalum dilatatum ).

The Caterpillar rolls a foodplant leaf to make a shelter in which it hides by day, only emerging at night to feed.

pupa
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

It pupates inside its shelter.

female
(Specimen: courtesy of The Australian Museum)

The adult butterfly is dark brown with a series of white spots on each fore wing.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The males have a grey line across part of the upper surface of each forewing. The wing span is about 3 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

The eggs are round, and laid singly on a food plant leaf.

egg, magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The species is found in New Guinea, and in Queensland in Australia.