Predominantly pale tawny-orange with a heavy black border that encloses large white spots in the forewing. The inner leading edge of the forewing is deep red-brown. The underside is similar to the upper side but paler with narrower black margins. Males have a distinct patch of dark grey sex-scales on the upper side of the hindwing.
The caterpillars have three pairs of tentacles and yellow, white and black rings.
7 - 8 cm wingspan.
Larval food plants include native milkweeds (Cynanchum and Marsdenia species) as well as introduced milkweeds such as swan plant (Gomphocarpus fruiticose) and red cotton bush (G. curassavica).
It usually flies slowly from 1 to 2 m above the ground.
Improve your identification skills. Download your Lesser Wanderer field guide here!
Presence (to establish the first and last sighting for the season)
Courting/Mating
Egg laying
Chrysalis (butterfly emerging from its shell)
Spring and summer, in semi-arid parts of Australia. It may be seen at other times of the year after heavy rain.
They look similar to the Wanderer Butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus), with orange coloured wings and dark edges, but they also have a larger white pattern on their forewings.
Download the App on your smartphone now or open the map in your browser:
