Banks' Brown Butterfly Heteronympha banksii

Identification

Wingspan 45 mm. Above, black with orange markings and a white spot near the apex on the forewing; hindwing with a distinct eyespot. Beneath, reddish brown and orange with black markings; hindwing yellowish with red-brown bands, suffused with purplish brown and with small eyespots.

Upperside of live Banks’ Brown
Photographer: Ross Field / Source: Museum Victoria

Underside of live Banks’ Brown on Poa tenera
Photographer: Ross Field / Source: Museum Victoria

Habitat

This butterfly occurs on the tablelands and mountains east of Melbourne, where it favours grassy slopes. Another form occurs in the Grampians. The species ranges from southern Queensland to Victoria.

Notes

This is a late summer and autumn species that can be abundant locally. The larvae feed at night on a range of soft grasses (Poa spp.). Eggs are laid on the leaf blades in the autumn. The mature larvae are brown spotted with darker brown, and the head has a pair of short rounded horns. The pupae are green or brown with darker markings and hang suspended head down from a silken pad at the tip of the abdomen.

Eggs of Banks’ Brown with larvae hatching
Photographer: Ross Field / Source: Museum Victoria

Larva of Banks’ Brown
Photographer: Ross Field / Source: Museum Victoria

Pupa of Banks’ Brown
Photographer: Ross Field / Source: Museum Victoria

Distribution and record dates for the Banks’ Brown near Melbourne (Source Butterfly Bioinformatics, Museum Victoria)

Distribution and record dates for the Banks’ Brown in Victoria (Source Butterfly Bioinformatics, Museum Victoria)