Suniana sunias

Suniana sunias (C.Felder, 1860)
Orange Dart
(previously known as : Pamphila sunias)
HESPERIINAE , HESPERIIDAE

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

(updated 3 July 2007)

(Photo: courtesy of Peter Chew, Brisbane)

This Caterpillar is green with a brown head. It has been found feeding on :

Southern Cut Grass ( Leersia hexandra ),

Guinea Grass ( Panicum maximum ),

Vasey Grass ( Paspalum urvillei ), and

Wild Sudan Grass ( Sorghum verticilliflorum ),

all of POACEAE. The Caterpillar rests in a shelter made from blades of the foodplant joined with silk. The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 2 cms. It pupates in its shelter, head upward.

The upper side of the adult butterfly is dark brown with bright orange markings across each wing. The males have a black line across part of each forewing. Underneath, the wings are pale brown with orange and darker brown patches. The wingspan is about 2.5 cms.

The species is found as various races in Indonesia, the Solomons, and New Guinea, and in Australia, three races have been recognised :

rectivitta along the coast of north Queensland,

nola along the coast of south Queensland and north New South Wales, and

sauda in the Northern Territory.