Taractrocera ina

Taractrocera ina Waterhouse, 1932
(one synonym: Bibla iola)
Ina Grass Dart
HESPERIINAE, HESPERIIDAE

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

(updated 14 August 2001)

This Caterpillar is white with a black head. It has sparse hairs on its tail. It lives in a tubular shelter made of leaves of its food plant, which is one of many species of Grass ( POACEAE ), including :

Lemon Scented Grass ( Cymbopogon citrata ),

Buffalo Grass ( Panicum maximum ),

Ti Grass ( Paspalum conjugatum ),

Arm Grass ( Urochloa decumbens ),

Rice ( Oryza sativa ), and

Sorghum vericilliflorum.

(Specimen: courtesy of The Australian Museum)

In summer in the tropics, the Caterpillar matures in about four weeks. It pupates in its grass shelter. The pupa has a length of about 1.5 cms. The pupal period in summer is about eleven days.

(Specimen: courtesy of The Australian Museum)

The adult butterfly on top is brown with orange markings. Underneath, it is dull yellow with pale yellow markings It has a wingspan of about 2 cms.

The species is found in inland areas in the n Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, even venturing into South Australia.

The eggs are white and hemispherical, with no ribs. In Mackay in October, the eggs hatch in six days.