SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUTTERFLIES

Antipodia atralba (Tepper)   (Black and white Sedge-skipper)

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Coastal cliff-heath habitat south of Adelaide, in this case at Port Stanvac.
The Gahnia lanigera is the very low, black grass-like sedge visible in the immediate foreground

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Dry woodland habitat on northern Eyre Peninsula.
The low dark green coloured, tussock-like sedge is Gahnia lanigera
the preferred hostplant for A. atralba

atralba_Glanigera_postfire_Ngar.jpg (78670 bytes)

Gahnia lanigera regenerating after fire

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Gahnia lanigera after recent fire

atralba_shelter_Glanigera_Ngar.jpg (49568 bytes)

Final larva shelter on Gahnia lanigera after recent fire.
Length of enclosed part is about 5 cm.  The opening is at the bottom

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Final larva shelter on Gahnia deusta.
The opening is at the bottom

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Final larva shelter on Gahnia ancistrophylla.
The opening is at the bottom

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Newly laid egg

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Closeup of egg near hatching
showing the finer ridge details

Photography by R. Grund