In partnership with Butterfly Conservation SA, artist Kathleen Patitsas will draw, and encourage others to draw, various parts of the life cycle of the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) butterfly from photos taken by Greg Coote, a member of the Friends of the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) butterfly.
This will be a great opportunity to connect with nature in the quiet and comfort of the Jervois Room, in the Mortlock Library, thanks to the generosity of the State Library of SA.
The Friends of the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) Butterfly frequently visit the Grasslands Site in the southern part of Pakapakanthi/Victoria Park/Park 16 and monitor the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) butterflies, the butterfly host plant Oxalis perennans and the obligate common black ant Iridomyrmex rufoniger.
What is so special about this species of butterfly? Surprisingly there are only 397 species of butterfly recognized in Australia (there are over 22,000 moth species!) and they are classified into 5 Families. Our Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) is from the LYCAENIDAE – the blues and coppers, and they make up 36% of the Australian butterflies, i.e. 142 species in 45 genera. 65 of the species are endemic to Australia.
The amazing symbiotic relationship between the ants and the caterpillars, hatching from the tiny egg (~0.8mm in diameter) and moving between the protection of the ant hole and the host plant, where it is encouraged by the ants to feed, we call ‘Herding Caterpillars’.
The ants often move an ant-hole to the base of the plant, so there is minimum cross ground travel for the caterpillar, as there are plenty of predators out there, like spiders and wasps, which would take the caterpillar, if the ants weren’t there. If there is plenty of the host plant Native Sorell (Oxalis perennans) around, the caterpillars will eat well and reach maturity after 2-3 months.
We have often come across ‘fresh’ butterflies that have just emerged from the chrysalis, which is in the ant hole, quite often lying flat on the grass – sunbaking.
Connect with nature during the Nature Festival and express yourself by drawing this wonderful species.
