Will they visit?: Lesser Wanderers frequently visit home gardens
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Danaus petilia – Hanna Tree (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Danaus petilia – seamus-doherty (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Danaus petilia – Simon Gorta (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Gather in large groups on tree branches
Diet: Adults feed on nectar, caterpillars feed on foliage
Water: Not required
ReWild Benefit: Pollinator
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Lesser Wanderers will shelter in large groups on tree branches and large shrubs. They will sometimes congregate with a closely related species, the Monarch Butterfly. The caterpillars live on both native and introduced milk weeds.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Lesser Wanderers will feed on the nectar from many species of plants. The caterpillars are much more specialised and feed on the foliage of both native and introduced milk weeds.
Avoid commercial non-native seeds advertised for butterflies. These plants are usually unsuitable for our native butterflies to breed on – and have the potential to become serious weeds.
Providing sources of water
Not required.
ReWild Benefits
These butterflies are pollinators and help connect biodiversity across the landscape. If you see them around your garden, you can record your sighting on Atlas of Living Australia!
