List of butterflies of Tasmania facts for kids
Tasmania is an island south of mainland Australia. It's separated from Victoria by the 240 km wide Bass Strait. Even though Tasmania shares many animals with southern Australia, its isolation and unique weather have led to special kinds of animals. This includes some butterflies found nowhere else!
There are 39 different kinds of butterflies living in Tasmania. They are usually grouped into five main types: skippers, blues, browns, swallowtails, and the introduced whites.
Contents
Swallowtail Butterflies
The Papilionidae family includes the beautiful swallowtail butterflies. There is only one species of swallowtail found in Tasmania.
Meet the Macleay's Swallowtail
- Genus: Graphium
- Macleay's swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus (moggana)
White and Yellow Butterflies
The Pieridae family includes the white and yellow butterflies. You can find four different species of these butterflies in Tasmania.
Yellow Butterflies
- Genus: Eurema
- Small grass yellow, Eurema smilax
White Butterflies
- Genus: Appias
- Albatross butterfly, Appias paulina
- Genus: Anaphaeis
- Caper white, Anaphaeis java
- Genus: Pieris
- Small white, Pieris rapae
Blue and Copper Butterflies
The Lycaenidae family includes the gossamer-winged blues and coppers. There are nine species of these lovely butterflies in Tasmania.
Blue Butterflies
- Genus: Candalides
- Blotched blue, Candalides acasta
- Genus: Lampides
- Pea blue, Lampides boeticus
- Genus: Neolucia
- Fringed blue, Neolucia agricola
- Mountain blue, Neolucia hobartensis
- Mathew's blue, Neolucia mathewi
- Genus: Theclinesthes
- Chequered blue, Theclinesthes serpentata
- Genus: Zizina
- Common grass blue, Zizina labradus
Copper Butterflies
- Genus: Paralucia
- Bright copper, Paralucia aurifer
- Genus: Pseudalmenus
- Tasmanian hairstreak, Pseudalmenus chlorinda (chlorinda)
Brush-Footed Butterflies
The Nymphalidae family is known as the brush-footed or four-footed butterflies. This is the largest group in Tasmania, with 14 different species.
Wanderer Butterflies
- Genus: Danaus
- Lesser wanderer butterfly, Danaus chrysippus
- Wanderer butterfly, Danaus plexippus
Admiral and Lady Butterflies
- Genus: Junonia
- Meadow argus, Junonia villida
- Genus: Vanessa
- Yellow admiral, Vanessa itea
- Australian painted lady, Vanessa kershawi
Brown Butterflies
- Genus: Argynnina
- Tasmanian brown, Argynnina hobartia
- Genus: Geitoneura
- Klug's xenica, Geitoneura klugii
- Genus: Heteronympha
- Bright-eyed brown, Heteronympha cordace
- Common brown, Heteronympha merope
- Shouldered brown, Heteronympha penelope
- Genus: Nesoxenica
- Leprea brown, Nesoxenica leprea
- Genus: Oreixenica
- Common silver xenica, Oreixenica lathoniella
- Orichora brown, Oreixenica orichora
- Ptunarra brown, Oreixenica ptunarra
Skipper Butterflies
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The Hesperiidae family includes the skippers. These butterflies are known for their fast, darting flight. There are 11 species of skippers in Tasmania.
- Genus: Anisynta
- Dominula skipper, Anisynta dominula
- Genus: Antipodia
- Antipodia skipper, Antipodia chaostola
- Genus: Hesperilla
- Chrysotricha skipper, Hesperilla chrysotricha
- Donnysa skipper, Hesperilla donnysa
- Flame skipper, Hesperilla idothea
- Master's skipper, Hesperilla mastersi
- Genus: Ocybadistes
- Yellow-banded dart, Ocybadistes walkeri
- Genus: Oreisplanus
- Marrawah skipper or alpine skipper, Oreisplanus munionga
- Genus: Pasma
- Tasmanica skipper or two-spotted grass-skipper, Pasma tasmanicus
- Genus: Taractrocera
- White grassdart, Taractrocera papyria
- Genus: Trapezites
- Rare white-spot skipper, Trapezites lutea
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