Discovering the butterflies’ wild garden with Dr Suzi Bond (ANU) - a SEE Change Gungahlin event

On Saturday 11 December, ANU ecologist, Dr Suzi Bond, led a group of enthusiasts around the grassy woodlands of Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve in pursuit of native butterflies.

As she pointed out various species, Suzi spoke about what she considered the major threats to butterfly conservation and her priorities to shift the balance from destructive practices to protective ones. According to Suzi, changes were needed to land management practices such as the clearing of eucalypt woodlands for human development if populations were to survive. 

Also critical were changes to the current burn regimes in Namadgi National Park which can be destructive to species in the sub-alpine woodlands and forests. Suzi acknowledged that First Nations’ burning practices such as the highly selective "patchwork mosaic" and cool burning techniques, which allow for finer scale refugia for animal life within the burn area, might be better suited to the local context.

Suzi reminded us that the butterfly caterpillars needed the woodland debris to pupate and that it was important that our reserves and parks be left a bit untidy in order to maintain habitats.

Another important factor that impacts on butterflies is the indiscriminate use of pesticides and herbicides in gardens, on farms and roadsides which kills off both immature and adult butterflies (along with bees and a whole lot of other important critters.) Of course the one overriding factor that trumps everything when it comes to threats to butterflies is climate change which destroys whole ecosystems, sometimes in one summer.

Butterfly species spotted on the walk included :

1. Cabbage White

2. Common Brown 

3. Australian Painted Lady

4. Common Grass-blue

5. Amethyst Hairstreak - no adults, just caterpillars on their wattle food plant and with their attendant ants

To learn more about the butterflies of Canberra read Suzi’s excellent guide; Field Guide to the Butterflies of the Australian Capital Territory. Check the SEE-Change newsletter for information about upcoming events hosted by the SEE-Change Gungahlin group.

Article by SEE-Change Gungahlin group co-convenors Lyn Smith and Donella Johnston