Telicota augias

Telicota augias (Linnaeus, 1763)
(one synonym: Pamphila augias)
Krefft's Darter
HESPERIINAE , HESPERIIDAE

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

(updated 5 May 2008)

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

This Caterpillar is green with a brown head and a faint line along the back The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 3cms. It feeds on :

Supplejack ( Flagellaria indica, FLAGELLARIACEAE ).

The Caterpillar constructs a shelter out of leaves joined with silk, resting head downward in this by day, emerging to feed at night. The shelter is often constructed near the tip of the leaf on which it feeds, leaving only the midrib to support the shelter.

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

The butterflies of this species are brown with orange markings. The undersides are paler. The males have a long grey patch of the top of each forewing. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 3 cms.

Male underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

This species as seven subspecies across south-east Asia, including:

India,

Singapore, and

Thailand.

Two more subspecies have been recognised in Australia:

krefftii in the north of Western Australia and Queensland, and

argilus in the Northern Territory and north Queensland.