Evening Brown Butterfly – Melanitis leda
The most common butterfly in the forest is not interested in the sunlight or our garden usually. They are active in the evening (hence the name) and usually found on the ground resting in the day. When disturbed they flutter a little further on. I like them because they are different, their camouflage in the leaf litter is superb, and they can be seen in the middle of winter when other butterflies have vanished.
The wingspan is about 7 cms and the summer form is lighter brown to almost red. You can glimpse the orange patch (which contains a double eyespot) in one of the images. The green caterpillars have two red hairy horns and feed on sedges and grasses, including Kangaroo Grass which we grow. The adults drink sap exuding from damaged trees.
