Small Grass-Yellow

Small Grass-Yellow

Eurema smilax

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Brisbane

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%

46 Verified sightings at Brisbane
28 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Small Grass-Yellow

Eurema smilax, the small grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Australia, with some additional records from India, Indonesia and Niger. The wingspan is about 30 mm. The larvae mostly feed on plants of the Senna and Neptunia genera.

The species was first described by Edward Donovan in 1805. Eurema smilax adults have a wingspan of 30–34 mm, with females being slightly larger than males. They are yellow, with black tips on the upper surface of the forewings. This colouration can vary depending on flight period. In southern Australia, the summer flying forms are usually pale yellow, with few or no brown markings on the wing undersides. The winter forms are a brighter yellow, with pronounced brown markings on the wing undersides. The males are generally a brighter yellow than the females.

The eggs are initially white, later turning yellowish. They are spindle-shaped, with a height of about 1.2 mm, and laid singly on a host plant. They hatch in about 7–11 days during spring. The caterpillar is initially pale yellow, soon becoming greenish. Third and fourth instars develop a darker dorsal line and a yellow lateral line. Mature larvae are... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
2 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
4 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
3 Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Small Grass-Yellow in Brisbane?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Small Grass-Yellow sighting in Brisbane on a given day, based on 46 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 279th most-seen of the 1083 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Small Grass-Yellow in Brisbane?

January–February, April–June, August and October–November

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Small Grass-Yellow in Brisbane on a given day, against under 5% in March, July, September and December, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Small Grass-Yellow?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Small Grass-Yellow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Brisbane the best place to see a Small Grass-Yellow?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Small Grass-Yellow sightings, Brisbane has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Melbourne (Australia, under 5%) and Sydney (Australia, under 5%).

Where does the Small Grass-Yellow sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Small Grass-Yellow is recorded against all the insects logged in Brisbane (46 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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