Rare butterfly found in Burnside
A rare butterfly has been sighted in the City of Burnside – a chequered copper! Chequered Copper Butterflies once occurred across Adelaide, but they are now considered rare in the region. They were last recorded in Burnside, near Stonyfell, in 1938. Recently, a member of Council’s park staff was surprised to see a Chequered Copper.
“When we were working at Beaumont Common I noticed a butterfly I had never seen before… I let my team leader know and we found a few of them, it was really exciting.”
Chequered Coppers have a wingspan of around 2.5 cm with an eye-catching splash of metallic copper on the forewing and traces of copper on the hindwing. The outer margins of the wings have a distinctive white and black chequer pattern. Their scientific name for Chequered Coppers is Lucia limbaria and they are sometimes called Small Coppers or Grassland Coppers.
The caterpillars of this species rely on ants to survive. The caterpillars live in the nests of small black ants (Iridomyrmex species). They release pheromones that mimic the pheromones of the ants, so the ants protect them. The caterpillar typically builds its chrysalis underground, within the ants’ nest, emerging 10-13 days later as Chequered Copper Butterflies.
The presence of Chequered Copper Butterflies is a testament to the quality of the planning and groundwork conducted by the council’s park and biodiversity management teams. These butterflies are quite particular in their requirements for habitat.
Chequered Coppers need open areas with native grasses. The butterflies also require Native Sorrel (Oxalis perennans), plus the attendant ants. In Beaumont Common, council staff have recreated habitat that is favourable to these beautiful and rare species, removing weeds and allowing indigenous plant species to thrive. The open grassy woodland at Beaumont Common is perfect for Chequered Coppers.
Other rare and threatened species are also present in public and private parks and gardens in the area. For example, Cryptic Sun Moths, Southern Brown Bandicoots, and Yellow-footed Antechinus can all be found in Burnside, where suitable habitat exists. Council is working to maintain these habitats to ensure these species do not become locally extinct.
Council is working with Butterfly Conservation SA to monitor the butterfly population. If you would like to learn how to provide habitat for butterflies in your garden, the book Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden is a great place to start. Copies of the book can be purchased through Butterfly Conservation SA or they can be borrowed through Burnside Library.
More photos of the butterflies in Burnside are available on iNaturalist, a website and app for recording observations of wildlife.
A Chequered Copper Butterfly at Beaumont Common
Native Sorrel in Beaumont Common
