Searching for sciron

Koondoola. Target for the day, Trapezites sciron. I'm looking for something like this. Generally uncommon and very local, according to Braby. We'll see.

Trapezites sciron - Sciron Ochre

Those circled white spots on the underside should be distinctive. A touch smaller than cyanophracta apparently. According to Matt, the north-east of the reserve is the favoured area - he also comments that it should still be around. A bit of a worry, I had thought the reason I hadn't encountered it yet was because it was too early in the season.

Typical north east landscape

I haven't investigated the north-east before. I'd concentrated on the high ground on the western side, around the water tower - there were plenty of likely looking spots for butterflies there. I'd discounted the southern part of the reserve - it just didn't feel good. But I was keen to investigate the north east. I'd checked on the map, there appeared to be decent suburban streets nearby to leave the car - I'd just have to cross the busy Marangaroo Drive and I'd be right there.

Just off the firebreak

I was at the reserve by 0930. Here was the firebreak that Matt had suggested was the right area. It also featured heavily in the locations marked as successful on John Dover's 2005 paper in Biological Conservation. paper which studied the distribution of halyaetus in the reserve. What's good for halyaetus is good for sciron?

Enlarged thumbnail of Dover's halyaetus map showing concentrations of butterflies

 (I hadn't paid $30 for the paper, I'd just blown up the thumbnails in the Science Direct online abstract. Sorry, John)

Pattersonia extensive here

First thing noticeable was the abundance of the blue iris, Pattersonia occidentalis. There are plenty of individual plants throughout the reserve, but nothing like this concentration here. As the foodplant of the Blue Iris Skipper cyanophracta it comes as no surprise to find the reserve is something of a stronghold for this species.  cyanophracta? The cyano is easy enough, that's the blue, but what's phracta? φρακτός? This is some sort of covering or cloak, I think. Presumably referring to the blue cast on the underside.

 Different feel to the reserve here - full-on banksia woodland, much less of the Jacksonia that was common higher up. But none the less, the site certainly looked prospective. I'm looking out for a medium sized brown skipper, maybe a little smaller and darker than cyanophracta.



Very little happening here. Not even the boeticus that seemed to be up early in the other part of the reserve. I'm quartering the area for a good thirty minutes before I see my first butterfly that's not rapae. It's a Lycaenida, small, dark brown, not particularly mobile. Eventually it settles and I get a photograph. As I suspected, Neolucia agricola. Not great condition, but my first for the season.

Neolucia agricola - Fringed Heath Blue

I'm moving backwards and forwards through the bush, covering the area extensively. I'm there for an hour before my first Hesperida. Fast moving, but I lose it before I can confidently ID. It's quiet for another fifteen minutes. I decide to walk back up the hill to the water tower, exploring some areas that are new to me on the way. I'll return to this area later in the morning.

Halfway up the hill, there, around another concentration noted by Dover in his paper, I encounter several more agricolae.

agricola - distinctive double chevron on the underside

Upperside of agricola

Two males constantly bickering, but eventually I get some more photos. Getting closer to the top of the hill, there's another Lycaenida, this time it's halyaetus.

Hypochrysops halyaetus

Then as I reach the top of the hill, I encounter several more. The females don't appear that different from agricola in flight, it's only when they settle that the spectacular underside is revealed. The males are more distinctive, as they show turquoise in flight.

I return to the area where I found cyanophracta earlier in the week. This is a long way from the extensive areas of Pattersonia near the north-east entrance. The plant exists here,but not in anything like the same numbers. Sure enough, cyanophracta is still flying here.

cyanophracta

A Synemon sp, Not gratiosa, which I saw on my last visit. Is this possibly sophia or discalis? I don't really have a reference for moths in WA.

Sun moth - Synemon. Behaves just like a butterfly

A fine specimen of kershawi, and more halyaetus, Very cooperative today

Hypochrysops halyaetus - Western Jewel

Several specimens of boeticus that are beginning to look rather worn, but I find one that's in pristine condition.

Lampides boeticus - Long-Tailed Blue

I start to make my way back down the hill.  Certainly halyaetus is the commonest butterfly here today after rapae.

On the way back, I stumble upon a colony of cyanophracta nectaring. Several are flying here in a fairly restricted area, although there appears nothing particularly unique about the location.

Mesodina cyanophracta

Mesodina cyanophracta

I evntually return to the original target area. It's still quiet, in spite of looking prospective, but today isn't the day. I put the camera away and return to the car. It's one o clock. Temperature was fairly cool throughout, rose to around 23 degrees, sunny periods with patchy cloud.

Three and a half hours. One new species (for the year), better photographs of two existing (cyanophracta and halyaetus). But no sciron.

A - north-east firebreak. Extensive Pattersonia
B - concentrations of agricola
C - original location of cyanophracta, many halyaetus
D - cyanophracta colony