Suniana sunias

Suniana sunias (C.Felder, 1860)
Orange Dart
(previously known as : Pamphila sunias)
HESPERIINAE , HESPERIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 25 September 2009)

Suniana sunias
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

This caterpillar is green with a brown head. It has been found feeding on :

Southern Cut Grass ( Leersia hexandra ),

Guinea Grass ( Panicum maximum ),

Vasey Grass ( Paspalum urvillei ), and

Wild Sudan Grass ( Sorghum verticilliflorum ),

all of POACEAE. The caterpillar rests in a shelter made from blades of the foodplant joined with silk.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The caterpillar grows to a length of about 2 cms. It pupates in its shelter, head upward.

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The upper side of the adult butterfly is dark brown with bright orange markings across each wing. The males have a black line across part of each forewing.

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

Underneath, the wings are pale brown with orange and darker brown patches. The wingspan is about 2.5 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The eggs are laid singly on a foodplant leaf. They are hemispherical and initially white. As they deveop, they acquire red markings.

The species is found as various races in Indonesia, the Solomons, and New Guinea, and in Australia, three races have been recognised :

rectivitta along the coast of north Queensland,

nola along the coast of south Queensland and north New South Wales, and

sauda in the Northern Territory.