Butterflies of Black Mountain
Black Mountain is regarded as a “hotspot” for butterflies, and we have enjoyed the Butterfly Walks led by Dr Suzi Bond.
Butterflies go through different stages; egg, caterpillar, pupa and butterfly. As caterpillars they enjoy food plants but when they become butterflies, they seek nectar.
Caterpillars enjoy being on Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) and Black Wattle, Green Wattle (Acacia mearnsii), Hickory Wattle (Acacia implexa), in mistletoe (Amyema miguelii, Amyema pendula), grasses such as Spikey-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia), Grasses and Sedges e.g. Poacea spp Hooked Sedge (Carex appresssa) and ground cover such as False Sarsaparilla, Purple Coral pea (Hardenbergia violacea)
Butterflies are interested in nectar from acacia, eucalyptus, tea-trees and other plants. On Black Mountain this includes the acacia trees mentioned above and Hickory Wattle (Acacia implexa), the Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossii), Brittle Gum (E mannifera), Broad-leaved peppermint (E. dives), Red Box (E. polyanthemus), Prickly Tea-tree (Leptospermum continentale), and Silver Tea-tree (Leptospermum multicaule).
It is good to look for clusters of flowers because the butterflies love blue, yellow and red flowers. You might see butterflies on native Bluebells (Wahlenbegria spp), daisies such as the Sticky Everlasting (Xeroshrysum viscosum), Yellow buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), and Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum semipapposum), or the red flowers of the Mountain Grevillea (Grevillea alpina).
Butterflies also like Australian Blackthorn shrub (Bursonia spinosa), and the climber Small-leaved Clematis (Clematis leptophylla), as well as the purple pea flower ground-cover (Hardenbergia violacea).
