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Barred Skipper (Dispar compacta)
Description:
CaterpThe adult is a medium sized 'skipper' butterfly, wingspan approximately 2.4 centimetres. Skippers are a thick-set family of somewhat moth-like butterflies. This one is brown with creamy blotches. The underside of the male is orangy-brown with a dark mark while the female underside has a lilac tinge. Adults are seen in January-February.
Habitat:
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the Gahnia spp., Poa spp. and Lomandra spp.
What can we do?:
Planting food plants may encourage this species to enter your garden. Adults may be encouraged to inspect your garden by your planting butterfly attracting plants such as Bursaria spinosa which is a summer-flowering nectar plant.
Bibliography:
Braby, Michael. 2000 Butterflies of Australia Vol. 1 pp. 123-124 CSIRO