narrow wings, and in the male sex with a strongly-clubbed apex 
to the abdomen. It measures about one and a half inches in 
expanse. Its flight is somewhat slow and it can be easily caught. 
The food consists of other insects, such as bees, which it 
sucks dry. 
True Flies {Dipt era) 
MANY interesting examples of this group of insects are to be 
seen in the park and reserves by the careful observer. Over 
the blossoms, species of small, yellow-banded hoverers, some 
exceptionally common, will be found. The larvae of these are 
small, greenish, slug-like caterpillars, which devour a great 
number of aphides and such pests. 
More striking, however, are the large and hairy Robber-flies 
( Asilidae ), of which species of Blepharotes , large, blackish 
fellows with red body, may occasionally be seen but rarely caught. 
Smaller greyish species may often be observed on the paths or 
resting on trunks in a manner simulating death but actually on 
the look-out for some unwary insect, upon which they feed. 
Hovering over low-growing flowers or sandy paths may be 
seen some of the very hairy B ombyliidae of various genera. Some 
of these are parasites in the nests of bees and wasps, others on 
the larvae and pupae of moths. 
Butterflies and Moths 
COMPARATIVELY few varieties of Butterflies occur in our 
State, and of these the visitor to our reserves will meet with 
but a small proportion. Some, however, will be in large num- 
bers and the visitor cannot help being impressed when, on a fine 
day in Morialta Gorge or Waterfall Gully, he sees the Wanderer 
Butterfly ( Danaus plexippus) flying about in hundreds. This 
graceful insect, which measures almost six inches across the 
wings, is really an introduction from America, where it is 
popularly known as the Storm Butterfly. Its caterpillars are 
banded yellow, white and black, and carry a pair of horns at the 
head and tail. They feed on the common milkweed or cotton- 
bush (Asclepias) , which grows plentifully on our foot-hills. 
The beautiful green chrysalides, with belts of golden spots, may 
be found suspended from the leaves and stems. 
In the gullies, the brownish and smaller Butterfly (Xenica 
klugi ) will be seen frequently flitting about, and specimens of the 
Painted Lady (Pyrameis cardui kershawi ) and the Admiral 
{Vanessa itea ) are not uncommon. The Blues ( Lycaenidae ) 
are represented by a number of species, but the Whites 
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