Trapezites argenteoornatus (Hewitson, 1868)
Silver Spotted Skipper
(one synonym: Anisynta insula)
TRAPEZITINAE,
HESPERIIDAE
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 7 June 2002)
These Caterpillars are cream colored with reddish brown stripes.
The last segment has two black arcs. The head is gey with a
black 'V' mark.
The Caterpillars hide by day in a silken shelter
near the top of a foodplant,
made by joining dead leaves and debris.
The Caterpillars feed noctunally on :
Acanthocarpus verticillatus (
XANTHORRHOEACEAE ),
Acanthocarpus preissii (
XANTHORRHOEACEAE ), and
Acanthocarpus robustus (
XANTHORRHOEACEAE ).
The adults on top are brown with chequered wing edges.
The forewings have several pale yellow spots,
and the hindwings have one larger spot.
Underneath, the forewings are half brown and half yellow,
with orange spots.
The hindwings underneath are yellow with several white spots
each outlined in black.
The butterflies have a wingspan of about 3 cms.
The species is found in
Western Australia.
Further reading :
Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia,
CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp 103-104.
