While most of us have struggled with recent high temperatures, there’s one group of locals loving the heat, and this last few weeks of summer is a great chance to get out and see them.
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The Eltham copper butterfly was once widespread in dry open forests from Melbourne to western Victoria.
Increased threats to the butterflies’ habitat from land clearing, urbanisation and climate change have resulted in only three known populations in Victoria — Bendigo/Castlemaine, the Wimmera, and Eltham in Melbourne.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority is working with communities to help the Eltham copper butterfly and prevent its extinction.
“It can be surprising where the Eltham copper butterfly can turn up,” North Central CMA project manager Laura Chant said.
“Just before Christmas I went to an open house in Flora Hill (Bendigo) and spotted a male feeding on a remnant sweet bursaria shrub in the backyard.
“Much to my surprise, when I popped my head over the fence to check out the neighbouring bushland there was a population of Eltham copper butterfly all zooming around in the sun.”
It was thought to be extinct until rediscovered at Eltham in 1986. A portion of bush has been set aside in several reserves at Eltham to protect the species, now classified as ‘endangered’.
The Flora Hill discovery was even more amazing given the butterfly relies on only one plant and one type of ant for survival.
“The butterfly lays its eggs at the base of the sweet bursaria plant and relies on Notoncus ants to raise and protect them,” Mrs Chant said.
“When the eggs hatch, the ants take care of them, bringing the caterpillars into their nest.
“The ants take the caterpillars out at night to feed on the sweet bursaria leaves and protect them from would-be predators.
“The caterpillars trick the ants into believing they are one of their own, by mimicking ant brooding hormones and making sounds that pacify ant aggression. They also treat the ants with sugary secretions, which they love to eat.”
The project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by the North Central CMA, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.
The North Central CMA is keen to discover if there are any more populations of the Eltham copper butterfly around Bendigo and Castlemaine, and is calling on the community to keep an eye out.
“We can’t protect them if we don’t know where they are,” Mrs Chant said.
“Their flight season usually ends by mid-March, so now is the best chance to get out and find them. They tend to be flying on hot, sunny, still days.
“The best way to record them is to snap a photo and upload it to the iNaturalist app.”
