Atkinsia dominula (Two-brand Grass-skipper) 

Other Common Names

Dominula Skipper

Synonyms

This butterfly was classified as Anisynta dominula until it was moved to the genus Atkinsia in 2022

Notes

When the weather is cloudy, this butterfly is very co-operative for the photographer – it pretty much just sits there on a flower and lets you take its photo, occasionally opening or closing its wings so you can get shots of both the upperside and underside. When the sun comes out, however, they are a lot more lively and much harder to approach, and they fly rapidly too.

They tend to live in colonies, and so far I have taken pictures of them in three of four different spots. All were close to the side of the road, one was a hanging swamp, the others were just some damp grassland.

Sightings

Kanangra Boyd National Park – February 2008, January 2010
Barrington Tops National Park – January 2010
Corin Road, ACT – February 2024
Thredbo – February 2024

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