Geitoneura minyas (Western Xenica)
Other Common Names
Geraldton Xenica
Notes
I haven’t taken a lot of photos of this butterfly, as it’s one of those annoying Satyrids that generally flies off just as I’m getting close enough to get a shot. But they were to be found several sites I visited around Perth, sometimes in large numbers, especially at Bold Park.
I was surprised how small this butterfly is; I knew it was smaller than G. klugii, but it’s significantly smaller especially the males, some of which which are tiny.
Most of the upperside shots I took were of males; the females are much less likely to sit with their wings open. Even the males mainly only do so early in the morning or late in the afternoon; in the middle part of the day they mainly settle with their wings closed, occasionally opening them briefly.
Sightings
Lesmurdie, Bold Park, Port Kennedy (all in WA) – October 2008
Bold Park – October 2016
Links
- The Complete Field Guide to Australian Butterflies (2nd edition) by Michael F. Braby
- Atlas of Living Australia
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility
- Tobias Westmeier’s website
- iNaturalist
- Notes on the life history of the Western Xenica Geitoneura minyas (Waterhouse & Lyell) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) by AAE Williams, MR Williams and AF Atkins