About Heteronympha merope Fabricius, 1775
Heteronympha merope, commonly known as the common brown, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It is endemic to the southern half of Australia. Males of this species have a wingspan of approximately 60 millimetres (2.4 inches), while females have a wingspan of around 70 millimetres (2.8 inches). The larvae of Heteronympha merope feed on species from the grass family Poaceae. This includes the specific species Brachypodium distachyon, Cynodon dactylon, Ehrharta erecta, Poa poiformis, Microlaena stipoides, Poa tenera and Themeda triandra. Due to the effects of climate change, the common brown butterfly currently emerges ten days earlier than it did 65 years ago.
