Butterfly
MAKER : Dionne Cornall
FOUNDRY : ORE AND INGOT
PATINA : Abigail Burt
SPECIES INFORMATION
The Australian Fritillary Butterfly (Argynnis Hyperbius Inconstans)
The Australian fritillary is known from the coastal strip between Gympie in Queensland and Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
There are around 440 species of butterflies in Australia and they perform a number of functions in ecosystems, from recycling nutrients through their waste to providing food to birds and reptiles. The Australian fritillary is a distinctive butterfly with a 6cm wingspan.
The major problem facing the Fritillary is habitat loss as swamps have been drained for farming and urbanisation. At remaining swamps weeds also smother the native violets that the butterfly lays its eggs on. A lack of ecological knowledge about the needs of the species is also a major problem for management.
What we can do to help
You can make a huge difference simply by growing a few choice plants, providing butterflies and moths with a garden refuge where they can stock up on nectar and lay their eggs. Nectar provides butterflies and moths with energy to fly and find a mate, helping the population to grow.
Butterfly Conservation South Australia (BCSA) aims to conserve butterflies and moths, and their habitat, as part of the broader ecosystem.
