Hypocysta adiante

Hypocysta adiante (Hubner, 1831)
(previously known as Neonympha adiante)
Orange Ringlet
SATYRINAE , NYMPHALIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 7 May 2008)

Hypocysta adiante
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The Caterpillars of this species are pinkish-brown, with dark longitudinal stripes, and two horns at each end. The Caterpillars feed on various Grasses ( POACEAE ) including :

Kangaroo Grass ( Themeda triandra ).

The Caterpillars rest on a stem or leaf at the base of a foodplant, and grow to a length of about 2 cms.

The pupa is slender, and is mottled brown with two horns on the head. It is formed hanging head downward from a cremaster on the foodplant, and has a length of around 1.5 cms.

The wings of the adult butterflies are plain orange-brown shading to dark brown at the margins, with an eye-spot on each hind wing. The undersides are similar to the upper surfaces, with each hindwing having an additional eyespot. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 3 cms. They fly just above ground level and have jumpy flight pattern, stopping at regular intervals to rest or feed. There have been times when we have seen Hypocysta pseudirius, Hypocysta metirius, and Hypocysta adiante flying together. They are very difficult to tell apart in flight.

The eggs are laid singly on the underside of a foodplant leaf. ZThe eggs are cream and nearly spherical.

(Photo: courtesy of Dave Britton, New England)

The species is found as two subspecies in Australia :

adiante in Queensland and New South Wales, and

antirius in the Northern Territory and the north of Western Australia.