Projects
If you have an interest in any of these projects or for more information please contact the Secretary at info@butterflyconservationsa.net.au
Lucia limbaria (Chequered Copper) in the Adelaide Park Lands
Greg Coote’s 2020 video of symbiosis
Lucia limbaria – 2023 Opportunities / threats / and sighs of relief!
SA government backs down from plan to house Mounted Operations Unit in Adelaide parklands
Butterfly Conservation SA is joining other conservation organisations and South Australian residents in explaining to the South Australian Government that the presence of the Chequered Copper Butterfly Lucia limbaria in the Adelaide Park Lands is very precious. A decision to relocate horses could eliminate the Chequered Copper butterfly located in the Adelaide Park Lands and flatten a biological hotspot.
A letter from the Hon. Joe Szakacs MP Minister dated 30th March 2023 advised the following:
“The site was proposed by SAPOL as the safest and most suitable site for the Mounted Operations Unit, out of a range of potential parklands and commercial sites. This was due to its close proximity to the CBD, easy access, optimal environment for horses and low environmental impact.”
Clearly, the Minister has received flawed advice that using Mirnu wirra Park 21W for the Mounted Operations Unit will have LOW environmental impact. This park includes remnants of pre-European vegetation and thanks to over 15 years work by Trees for Life volunteers this park is a biodiversity hotspot and considered one of the most environmentally diverse parks in the Adelaide Park Lands.
The Herding Caterpillars VR experience is a finalist for the 2023 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize, and showing in the Adelaide Festival Theatre Gallery from 24 March to 7 May. Creative Director Rosina Possingham is off to the FMX Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media at Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart Germany mid April to promote this production.
Artists presented talks about the making of the Herding Caterpillars VR experience
Friends of the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) continue conservation in the Pakapakanthi GrasslandLucia limbaria – 2022 International acclaim for SA’s Virtual Reality
During the SA Nature Festival Film submission in October 2022, Butterfly Conservation SA and Creative Director (Art) Rosina Possingham presented ‘Herding Caterpillars – an extended reality experience
that explores the life cycle of the Chequered Copper butterfly. Based on the 2021 theatrical performance, ‘Herding Caterpillars’ is brought to life in the virtual world through a host of delightful characters.
Watch the BCSA 2022 SA Nature Film Festival submission
Virtual World Experience
Lucia limbaria – 2021 Art and Science INNOVATION for families
At a May 2021 nature festival event in Tuthangga (Park 17) in Adelaide, children were shown the relationship between the Chequered Copper butterfly (Lucia limbaria), a common black ant (Iridomyrmex rufoniger), and the native Sorrell plant (Oxalis perennans)
The Chequered Copper butterfly, a common ant, and the native Sorrell plant
Lucia limbaria – the early days
Discovery of this species in the Adelaide South Parklands (Pakapakanthi (Park 16)) was very exciting.
Greg Coote’s album of images from this project
Click on this link and scroll down for the story to date
Weeding around the host plant Oxalis perennans is an ongoing task.
Project update 1 – Friends of Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria Butterfly Nov 2018
Project update 2 – Friends of Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria Butterfly Dec 2018
Project update 3 – Friends of Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria Butterfly Mar 2019
Project update 4 – Report to City of Adelaide from the Friends – 9 Sep 2019
Project update 5 – Friends of Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria Butterfly Dec 2019
Mar 2020 Victoria Park Pakapakanthi grasslands field trip
Aug 2020 Webinar during National Science Week
Oct 2020 Monitoring of the Chequered Copper
Project update 6 – Friends of Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria 16 Oct 2020
Chequered Copper Butterfly Sightings;
Other projects:
There are details of some great citizen science on our websites page here
Monarto Zoo – we are presently working with zoo staff to create a butterfly trail.
Port Stanvac remnant vegetation – until Mobil releases the site and the Government decides on what to do with the area nothing can be done about this site. However there is a largely intact patch of coastal heathland in this area which is the home to remnant plant species and insects as well as butterflies. If you have an interest in this coastal area please contact the secretary at info@butterflyconservationsa.net.au
Torrens Island mailto:info@butterflyconservationsa.net.auConservation Park – we have an ongoing interest in this conservation park as it is the home of the Bitter-bush Blue butterfly Theclinesthes albocincta.