Barred Skipper

There are about 120 species of skippers in Australia, which is around one third of all butterfly species in the country. They are called skippers because of the jerky flight patterns that most of them have. In general, skippers have proportionately long and wide set antennae. Usually they are small and drab, but not always. 

The Barred Skipper, Dispar compacta, is fairly common in this district but is easily confused with several other skipper species. They are found flying low over grasslands, in urban parks and gardens, forests and sometimes in sub-alpine zones.

Compacta’s host plants are various tussock species, Weeping Grass, Matt Rush, Gahnia, Lomandra, etc. They lay their eggs on or at the base of the grass and the larvae construct shelters for protection by folding pieces of vegetation.