In Search of the Western Flat

The season's getting quieter now, but a couple of targets for today. The Western Flat's not only rare, but also rather dull - however, I've a hot tip from Matt on where to find it, and I'm in the mood for a nice walk through the bush.

Exometoeca nycteris - Western Flat

An easy drive with the help of the GPS, to an area not far from the Lesmurdie Falls, a spot I'd earmarked earlier in the year as worth a visit. As I get out of the car, a couple of villida taking turns settling on the path in front of me, soaking up the sun.

A longish uphill walk along the stream, after twenty minutes or so I switched the GPS on the phone to check if I'd passed the spot Matt had marked on the map - no, just a hundred metres or so to go. Here were the Tetratheca plants, the purplish natives that constitute the foodplant. Moved up and down through the bush, trying to raise anything interesting, but nothing on the wing. Covered the area quite extensively, but if there's something here it's keeping very quiet.

Spent thirty or forty minutes here, but no sign of anything at all. Looks like this location will have to be visited a little earlier next year. Crossed the stream and started back along the south side - several areas have been burnt out. A lone plexippus looking somewhat lost, and back near the car, the villida still active.

Time for another location. A spot alongside the Canning River, that's not too far off my journey home. A different target here, apparently the Satin Azure can sometimes be found flying around the Sheoak trees by the side of the river.

Ogyris amarylis - Satin Azure

Parked the car and descended to the path along the river. Plenty of sheoaks, some parasitised by the mistletoe that forms the foodplant. Walked up and down, then spotted something dark which circled the top of a tree then perched on a dead twig. Looks interesting. I crossed the fence to get closer. Yes, definitely an Ogyris, some five or six metres high, no intention of coming lower.

Ogyris amaryllis, perched high in the tree

I went round to the river side. Here I could see another one, perched. They're quite easy to spot as they perch on dead twigs, where the outline is quite distinctive. This one's a little lower, I can see that it's a female, as the pink patch on the wing is apparent.

Female, with distinctive pink spot

The higher one flies off from time to time, often to sport with another male that comes close, or a hornet that is also fond of flying round the same tree. Once or twice they swoop close, and for a few seconds one settles on a lower branch, but it's gone before I can focus on it.

The Sheoak tree - Casuarina

I spend some forty minutes here, but there seems little prospect of getting better pictures. It's very like watching Purple Emperors in Europe, stiff neck from peering up into the trees all the time. I'll need a step ladder and probably an accomplice to get some decent pix, but still good to have seen another new species today.

Port Kennedy Revisited

 The season is beginning to tail off near Perth, but Matt suggested that inous was still a reasonable target at Port Kennedy, in spite of my having had a disappointing visit there earlier in the month. I'd spent Thursday night in Mandurah, so Port Kennedy was a very minor detour on the way home Friday morning.

Driving out of Mandurah, the air was full of Danaus plexippus - I would have easily counted over one hundred by the time I left the highway. I've noticed before how much more abundant the butterfly is south of the city - Matt suggests the foodplant is widespread in the swamps that are characteristic of the belt just beyond the dunes.

Typical Port Kennedy area - dry and sandy

I parked in the golf course car park, as the car was full of equipment which I wasn't keen to leave in full view at a remote spot - it also enabled me to change into something more suitable for the exploration. It was hot and breezy - in Europe these wind-swept coastal dunes would not have been an area I would have spent much time exploring, but my experiences at Trigg have taught me not to be so judgmental here in Australia. Having secured photographs of Hypochrysops narcissus and apelles offshore in a mangrove swamp at Cairns, I'm happy to try anywhere.

I walked around 400m south along the public road before turning east into the Scientific Park - immediately something caught my eye - a medium-sized Satyrid.

Geitoneura klugii - Marbled Xenica

Similar to minyas, which was everywhere a couple of weeks ago, but I think this is klugii - slightly later in the season, a little larger than minyas, and with the dark margin along the dorsum.

As with the others of this genus, it likes settling on bare ground, and quickly folds the wings after settling, making photography of this common species something of a challenge.

Then, a Lycaenid. Actually two or three of them, flying rapidly in and amongst a group of evergreen bushes. Finally one of them settles. Hard to identify it confidently through the lens, similar to Theclinisthes miskini, but the underside markings are paler, and the subtornal spots less prominent.

Theclinesthes hesperia - Western Bitter Bush Blue

Theclinesthes hesperia - something of a prize. Apparently it's disappeared from most of its localities around Perth, but obviously hanging on here at Port Kennedy.

I move on. It's hot, but not unpleasantly so. Following one of the firebreak tracks I come across an area of Scabiosa flowers, which are attracting numbers of plexippus.

Danaus plexippus - Monarch

 A good opportunity for a few new photographs of this spectacular species.

Danaus plexippus

The scabious flowers are proving very popular with the bees, too. Then I notice something else - another Lycaenid. My first thought is boeticus, but once it settles I can see that the underside is quite different.

Jalmenus icilius or inous?

 It's a Jalmenus species - not sure if it's icilius or inous.

Scabious corner - highly productive

The scabious here have created a butterfly hotspot.

Trapezites argenteoornatus - Silver Spotted Ochre

Along with the plexippus and Jalmenus, there are a couple of argenteoornatus, and another klugii.

Geitoneura klugii

Then what looks like merope but by the time I've climbed over the wire for a better look it's gone.

argenteoornatus and inous competing for nectar

I spend half an hour here - I think I've two different Jalmenus species, but Matt later disagrees. I defer to his informed judgment.

A fine specimen of Jalmenus inous - Varied Hairstreak

Matt's Comment: "The Jalmenuses are all J inous; I base that conclusion on the fact that they are near the coast. The distinction beteen inous and icilius is a bit vague and telling them apart is sometimes impossible. This taxonomic problem has been in the too hard basket for a couple of decades. What we call inous may just be a coastal colour form of icilius (or maybe not!)"


So, target achieved. Very happy to have Jalmenus inous "in the bag".

This has been a most productive morning - two completely new species, hesperia and inous, and grateful thanks to Matt for convincing me that Port Kennedy was worth another look. I retire to the golf club and sit in the aircon with a cold drink before heading back up the freeway.

More Coastal Exploration

Today's target is Jalmenus inous
 

Jalmenus inous - Varied Hairstreak

Common, but very local according to Braby. A little larger than boeticus. Adults fly around the larval food plant, and may feed from flowers, including Nuytsia. 

It's been recorded from Port Kennedy in the past, and also Point Peron.  Looking at Google maps, it seems if I park at the golf course car park at Port Kennedy I can walk over the road to the Scientific Park, which would seem to be the obvious location. Certainly the Nuytsia is beginning to flower, always very characteristic at this time of year.

Port Kennedy Scientific Park

45 minutes down the freeway, and the wind's not too strong. The area looks very snakey, so I pick my way carefully. The location certainly looks promising, plenty of clear sandy patches amongst acacia bushes, with sandy tracks running through and into the park. The trail bikers have torn down the protective fences, and a couple of random 4WD's are churning up the area - I keep out of their way.

Not a lot going on. A couple of smaller blues that never settle. I turn back towards the road, in a sheltered pocket a specimen of agricola perches helpfully, just asking to be photographed.

Neolucia agricola

Back on the track I spot a larger Lycaenid flying strongly into the wind, showing a purplish blue. Possibly inous but no way of confirming without a picture, and it's soon lost. 

Scientific Park

After an hour and a half I return to the car, where there's a very tired villida nectaring in the car park. 

Junonia villida

Since Pt Peron's almost on the way home I take a short detour. Parking right at the Point, there's a small area just below the lookout where labradus is abundant. 

Zizina labradus

Rather strangely, all the specimens are found in an area of no more than about twenty square metres. 

Looking back towards Port Kennedy

Nothing else of interest, so back to the freeway before the traffic builds up. 

 

Coastal Endeavours

Here's the target for today


Croitana croites.

Croitana croites - Western Sand Skipper

According to Braby they fly close to the ground and perch on bare sand. or on the flowers of Conostylis.  Common but local.

Certainly historical records have it at the coastal scrub at Trigg Beach - not a place I would have gone looking for butterflies  - it's a wind-swept area of sand dunes. Fortunately it's only ten minutes away from where I started the day, so by 1030 I've parked the car.

Productive area at Trigg

Walked over to the first patch of scrub, an area of saltbush adjacent to the car park, and already there's something flying - a small Lycaenid. This one's new to me, similar to Neolucia agricola, but without the distinctive chevrons on the underside. Saltbush blue is a pretty fair guess for now - I certainly have a good enough photo for identification purposes.

Theclinesthes serpentata - Saltbush Blue

Another Lycaenid, this one's larger, and rather less co-operative. A relatively fast flyer, my first thought was boeticus, but once it settles it's clear that the underside hindwing doesn't have that distinctive thick white line.

Theclinesthes miskini - Wattle Blue

This is a new species for me, miskini, and that's two new species without leaving the car park - and as I stand in the same spot, a third species settles to give me a hat trick of Lycaenidae without moving an inch.

Candalides acasta - Blotched Dusky Blue

I move on along the beach, but there's nothing else around - I seem to have stumbled on the beachside hotspot on leaving my car. I walk out to the highway, and spot that there's a track leading up the hill through the bush. I eventually discover the start of the track, and the warning sign.

Don't worry - the whole area has been looking very dugite friendly since I first parked the car - I've been very careful where I've been putting my feet.

Climbing the hill at Trigg

Conostylis

Plenty of Conostylis around, but no croites perched on it.


Walk up the hill, nothing of any interest, but towards the top there's a smaller track leading to the summit.

Another acasta

Up here there are more acasta, a good half dozen enjoying the clearer scrub near the top of the hill. Wide views from here back to Scarborough.

View from the top, looking south

Another Lycaenid up here - this time it's biocellata.

Nacaduba biocellata - Two Spotted Line Blue

Still no sign of croites - in fact, not a single Hesperida all morning. I would have been disappointed had it not been for serpentata and miskini.

Back to the car, some interesting grasses along the track.

and with a spare half hour, I thought I'd travel up the coast to Star Swamp.

 I'd seen three species of Hesperidae here earlier in the year, one of which I'd been unable to identify, but I'd never visited in the Spring.

A number of varied habitats here - I started in the SW corner, which is a  promising looking area with Jacksonia and Xanthorrhoea.

Immediately found a female minyas - it seems strange to find  a singleton, when in Bold Park there are always large numbers in an area. Then a large Lycaenid behaving very like the boeticus at Koondoola, jnking around the Jacksonia, but it settles and allows for some reasonable photographs.

Lampides boeticus - Long Tailed Blue

I head over to the actual swamp, where I photographed Anisynta sphenosema earlier in the year on the lush non-native grass.

Good area for sphenosema and papyria

Nothing today but a single Taractrocera papyria - they seem particularly co-operative here, as the males perch on the grass.

On the way back to the car, revisit the SW corner - a nice biocellata on the Jacksonia.

Nacaduba biocellata

So, in terms of the target species, croites - total failure. The new Lycaenidae species were a bonus, making up for it. Possibly just too late in the season, or maybe croites is no longer here at Trigg.

Always Something Interesting

Koondoola

Having another go today at finding sciron. Parked at the NE corner again, this time following the firebreak in a NW direction, as suggested by Matt and Martin. Good looking spots on both sides of the track,

Firebreak, looking NW

Still plenty of wildflowers to enjoy

First item of interest is a Lycaenid behaving differently to boeticus, less frenetic. It's in the same area that I found agricola on the previous trip, but this looks a little large and lighter. It perches, and I can see two obvious spots on the underside of the forewing. I'd seen one of these earlier in the week, but had been unable to photograph it. Candalides acastus. I also stuff  up the photograph this time, in spite of it perching perfectly for me, I manage to miss focus on my first attempt, and by the time I got it sorted out the butterfly's gone. Ah well.

Ultimate fail! Candalides acastus - Blotched Dusky-Blue

It's 11:30, and getting warm. The bureau says 31.9C - but in my backpack it climbs to 34.5C. I'm not going to be too ambitious today.

Regrowth after fire

I discover an interesting looking area that had clearly been burnt some months back. Regrowth is beginning, but it's left plenty of bare patches. The Synemon moths seem to have taken it over, which makes life that much harder. If they are going to flourish like this, they need to stop behaving like butterflies. I keep thinking a Satyrid, maybe a small ringlet or a dark gatekeeper.

My route for today

There's an arrogant kershawi that's enjoying feeding from a flowering spike of Xanthorrhoea. It's a good looking specimen. Like many of the Vanessids, it has the habit of suddenly opening its wings for a split second, causing any number of slightly too late photographs. Thank god for digital photography - I finally manage to get a shot with wings spread.

kershawi feeding

Vanessa kershawi - Australian Painted Lady

Interesting to compare kershawi with the European version, cardui. The only apparent differences are the black ringed blue spots on the Aussie ones, which are just black filled on the European. Cardui does establish colonies on our western coast, and I have seen migrating specimens of Painted Ladies in some numbers arriving at Cottesloe beach from the west, possibly having crossed the Indian Ocean.

Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady

The popular Xanthorrhoea spike

There's a lone halyaetus enjoying the sparser undergrowth in this burnt area. Surprisingly this proves to be the only one of the day.

Hypochrysops halyaetus

I start walking up the hill - plenty of boeticus but they're looking the worse for wear. A handsome Banksia flower. These are the predominant trees in this part of the reserve, but few are in flower at the moment.

Banksia flower

The sea breeze comes in, and the temperature suddenly drops by around five degrees. It's 12:30 now, and I return to the fire regrowth area. Dozens of Synemon, then something different catches my eye. Flying like kershawi, but it's a touch smaller and duller in colour. As I though, villida.

Junonia villida - Meadow Argus

Snap a quick picture but I won't worry too much, I've got better in my garden. I think of it as the Small Tortoisehell of Australia, an insect at its happiest and most content in and around gardens.

Something on the Xanthorrhoea spike again, this time a skipper. It's cyanophracta, again my only one for the day, but I'm not really in cyanophracta territory - they've seemed to be much more numerous near the top of the hill. Looks good on the flowers.

Mesodina cyanophracta - Blue Iris Skipper

I'm still hoping for sciron,and I spot a different skipper - reddish brown in flight, unlike the grey-blue of cyanophracta, and perhaps a touch bigger. Certainly a new species for me, but the underside doesn't look like what I'm expecting for sciron - just a single white spot. Two species of Motasingha have been reported from the reserve - it'll be one of those.

Motasingha dirphia - Western Brown Skipper

Without the upperside it's difficult to be sure, but from the examples in the book it's closer to dirphia than trimaculata. That's what it'll have to be for now. Just the singleton, but it hangs around and perches helpfully. I've got a shot that I'm happy with.

Concentrated attention in the fire regrowth area

Two new species and a couple of nice photographs, that'll be enough for today. And just as I leave, a vicious looking fly which seems to have prey firmly in its jaws. It must be lunchtime .