General Description

Above: orange wings with yellow, black or brown markings and a blue-centred black eyespot near the apex of the forewing. Below: similar to above for females but hindwing marked with red-brown and grey. Males below have orange forewings with black markings and an eyespot, hindwings yellowish-brown crossed with wavy red-brown lines and two small eyespots. No tail on hindwing. Antennae clubbed. Wingspan up to 7 cm.

Biology

These butterflies emerge in mid-spring, but the females are inactive until mid-summer. By late summer, only females are alive. Caterpillars feed on a range of native and introduced grasses. One generation of this butterfly is completed each year.

Distribution

South-western and south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat

Forests, urban areas and grasslands.

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