Hesperilla idothea (Flame Sedge-skipper)

Other Common Names

Flame Skipper

Notes

I’ve seen a lot of male idothea  hilltopping in the higher parts of the Blue Mountains, but I’ve only found three females and one of those was the first ideothea I ever saw. She was at the side of a path next to a creek near Lawson in the Blue Mountains. I was unable to get any photos of the underside, because I wasn’t careful enough and I disturbed the butterfly. But I did get a look at it, enough to see that the hind wings were orange-yellow, with about 3 very small spots.

The males can be seen zipping powerfully around on hilltops, flying so fast it’s often hard to keep an eye on them. They do land often, and once settled they can be approached quite easily.

When you see a fresh specimen you can understand why they got the name “Flame Sedge-skipper”, though that colour soon fades and these butterflies can become rather drab in appearance.

Sightings

Lawson, Blue Mountains – November 2004
Leura, Blue Mountains – December 2004
Blackheath – January 2008, November 2008, November 2009, November 2012
Bell – lots of times!
Mount Wellington, TAS – January 2019

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