Eurema smilax (Donovan, 1805)
(one synonym :
Terias casta)
Small Grass Yellow
COLIADINAE ,
PIERIDAE
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 6 May 2008)
This Caterpillar is green with a yellow line along each side,
and a darker green line along the back.
It has been found feeding on:
Pudding Pie Tree ( Cassia fistula ),
Pea Bush ( Senna acclinis ),
Senna coriaceae,
Jewelled Cassia ( Senna coronilloides ),
Kolomana ( Senna gaudichaudii ),
Punty ( Senna nemophila ),
Silver Cassia ( Senna petiolaris ),
all in
CAESALPINIACEAE, as well as
Australian Native Sensitive Plant ( Neptunia gracilis ),
and
Neptunia monosperma
in
MIMOSACEAE.
The pupa is held by cremaster and girdle to a stem of the food plant.
It has a length of about 1.5 cms.
(Specimen: courtesy of the
Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)
The upper surfaces of the wings of the adult butterfly
are yellow with a black band around the edge,
and a black dot near the middle.
The undersides are yellow with variable brown markings.
It has a wingspan of about 3 cms.
underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the
Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)
It is found in Indonesia,
and all over mainland Australia, including
Lord Howe Island,
New South Wales,
Northern Territory,
Queensland,
South Australia,
Tasmania,
Victoria, and
Western Australia.
Further reading :
Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia,
CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp. 302-304.
