Meadow Argus

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Meadow Argus

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Junonia
Species:	J. villida

Binomial name

Junonia villida
Godart, 1819

The Meadow Argus Butterfly (Junonia villida) is a butterfly commonly found in Australia. (Also known as Albin's Hampstead Eye in the UK, where it has occurred only as an accidental import.)

1 Physical description
2 Habitat
3 Early stages
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Physical description

The Meadow Argus has two brownish wings (estimated to be about 55 millimetres) [1], each covered with two distinctive reddish eyespots as well as white and orange marks that appear on the edge of the wings. The eyespots are a defense mechanism that are not only used to frighten predators away, but also to confuse the predators into thinking that the eyespots are the target, allowing the butterfly to escape with only a small part of the wing being lost.

As the butterfly rests, it can sit in four different positions depending on the current situation. These positions include:

If the sun is shining, the butterfly will open and relax its wings
If danger approaches while in the sunlight the butterfly will open its wings further revealing eyespots on its hindwings
If the sun is not shining the butterfly will close its wings
If dangers approaches while there is no sunlight the butterfly will raise its frontwings revealing hidden eyespots

[edit] Habitat

The Meadow Argus can be found mainly in Australia (excluding western Tasmania [2]) as well as in Lord Howe Island, New Zealand and Norfolk Island . Usually, they reside in urban areas, forest, and woodlands, though they are uncommon during the winter months. Every year during October or November, the butterflies migrate from southern Australia to warmer areas in the north.

Meadow Argus in leaf litter

Meadow Argus

[edit] Early stages

[edit] Eggs

Meadow Argus eggs are laid on a leaf of the food plant, shaped with sturdy vertical and horizontal ribs. The eggs usually hatch within 7 to 10 days. [3]

[edit] Larvae

Meadow Argus larvae are black with short thin spines. Meadow Argus caterpillars feed on various garden plants, both native and introduced. This includes Plantago, Scrohulariaceae, Convolvulaceae, Compositae, Verbenaceae, Porulacaceae, and Gentianaceae. This stage lasts from 4 to 5 weeks.