Mission Beach is one of the most butterfly rich places on the tropical east coast of Australia. Given the rainforest and its botanical diversity butterflies abound and one of the lesser known is the beautiful Red Lacewing.
This species is isolated to the north-eastern rainforests where a vine commonly known as Lacewing Vine occurs. This is the larval food plant of the species and thus is critical to the survival of the species. Scientifically known as Adenia heterophylla the Lacewing Vine is restricted to lowland rainforest regions. Vines provide food for many rainforest butterflies and whilst some gardeners may find them unsatisfactory, the beauty of butterflies such as the Lacewing or others accentuates the value of allowing vines to remain where they grow.
Adrian Walker
