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Australian Leafwing - Doleschallia bisaltide
Subfamily NYMPHALINAE
This page contains information and pictures about Australian Leafwing Butterflies in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Wingspan 70mm, on host plant
- We saw this butterfly once in Daisy Hill Forest during late summer. The butterfly was flying closely on the ground, sometimes rested on leaf for a short time.
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- When there was the sun shine, it opened its wings to display the rich orange and brown colours.
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- When rested, the butterfly closed its wings. The wings bottom sides camouflages with dry leaf pattern. The butterfly also has the face face which matches with the flower colour of the host plant, which make them even better camouflaged when laying eggs.
- The Caterpillar is black with white spots and red markings. It is covered with black spines. Caterpillar feeds during the night, hide on ground during the day.
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- We saw this butterfly once in Brisbane Forest Park near Enoggera Reservoir mid September 2006. It flied away when we came closer. On Jan 2009 in Ford Road Conservation Area, we saw quite a number of them. They were flying non-stop near the forest floor. They only stop for a few seconds if they found the host plants.
- The larval food plant is Pastel Flower ( Pseuderanthemum variable ), which is a perennial herb with white-pink flowers, dark green leaves purple underside. The leaves are from narrow to oval shapes. This plant can be found in moist shaded areas of eucalypt forest.
- Pastel Flower, Love Flower
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- Pseuderanthemum variable Laying egg on host plant
- Reference and Link:
- 1. Butterflies of Australia and New Guinea - Barrett,
Charles and A. N. Burns, Melbourne, N. H. Seward, 1951, p122.
- 2. Doleschallia bisaltide - Australian Caterpillars, Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2005.
- 3. Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane - Queensland Museum, 2003, p200.
- 4. Create More Butterflies - by Frank Jordan and Helen Schwencke, Earthling Enterprises, 2005, p27.
- 2. Doleschallia bisaltide - Australian Caterpillars, Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2005.
