Pamela Jay
Euploea Core Butterfly
The adult butterfly is easily recognised by its dark brown wings that are spotted white along the margins. The male's forewing has a bow-shaped hind margin, while the female's is straight.
The Common Crow Butterfly is found in Queensland and northern New South Wales, and also occurs across northern Australia as far west as Onslow in Western Australia. It has on occasion extended its range as far south as Victoria, and pupae have been found in Cootamundra and Kandos, New South Wales, which are west of the Great Dividing Range. It has been found in Alice Springs, Adelaide and Lord Howe Island. It has also been common at times in Sydney (1947-48; 1954-55 and more recently).
Adult Common Crow Butterflies overwinter together for protection in large aggregations of one to two thousand butterflies. The butterflies go into a dormant state in which they live on their fat reserves and nearby nectar sources until warmer weather returns. These aggregations occur in sheltered coastal sites and on offshore islands in the tropics and subtropics of northern and eastern Australia.
The Common Crow Butterfly has a strong scent that may allow predators to identify it as inedible. It also produces (from chemicals in its food plants) toxins so strong that eating just one butterfly may induce a bird to vomit. However, not all birds are sensitive to the toxins, and common invertebrate predators and parasites such as spiders, dragonflies, flies and wasps suffer no ill effects from eating these butterflies.
The adult butterfly has a life span of 11 - 13 weeks. The adults feed upon nectar from various flowering plants, including eucalypts.
See more at: australianmuseum.net.au/common-crow-butterfly#sthash.Fxg1...
Euploea Core Butterfly
The adult butterfly is easily recognised by its dark brown wings that are spotted white along the margins. The male's forewing has a bow-shaped hind margin, while the female's is straight.
The Common Crow Butterfly is found in Queensland and northern New South Wales, and also occurs across northern Australia as far west as Onslow in Western Australia. It has on occasion extended its range as far south as Victoria, and pupae have been found in Cootamundra and Kandos, New South Wales, which are west of the Great Dividing Range. It has been found in Alice Springs, Adelaide and Lord Howe Island. It has also been common at times in Sydney (1947-48; 1954-55 and more recently).
Adult Common Crow Butterflies overwinter together for protection in large aggregations of one to two thousand butterflies. The butterflies go into a dormant state in which they live on their fat reserves and nearby nectar sources until warmer weather returns. These aggregations occur in sheltered coastal sites and on offshore islands in the tropics and subtropics of northern and eastern Australia.
The Common Crow Butterfly has a strong scent that may allow predators to identify it as inedible. It also produces (from chemicals in its food plants) toxins so strong that eating just one butterfly may induce a bird to vomit. However, not all birds are sensitive to the toxins, and common invertebrate predators and parasites such as spiders, dragonflies, flies and wasps suffer no ill effects from eating these butterflies.
The adult butterfly has a life span of 11 - 13 weeks. The adults feed upon nectar from various flowering plants, including eucalypts.
See more at: australianmuseum.net.au/common-crow-butterfly#sthash.Fxg1...