Lycaenidae
Lycaenids or Blues are a diverse and fascinating group of butterflies. While the common name of “Blues” is apt in the majority of cases, it is quite misleading in others. Some species are a uniform brown or bronze colour, others are purple, coppery-orange or yellow. One Australian species is hot orange-red! They are small butterflies mostly and in fact the smallest butterfly in the world is a Blue. South Australia also has some of local species that are relatively large.
They often have what is known as an “eyespot” near the bottom outer edge of the hindwing, with a tail on the margin of the wing close to it. When the butterflies settle, they tend to do so with their wings closed and they turn their heads towards the ground. This makes the “eyespot” and tail look like a false head. This illusion is further strengthened by the hindwings being rubbed together. This causes the “eye” to move a little and the tails to appear like moving antennae. The effect of this is to cause predatory birds, lizards and insects to target the tail of the butterfly instead of its body, leaving a torn wing, but allowing the insect to fly away. The effectiveness of this measure is shown by the large number of Blue butterflies seen with the tail and the corner of their wings missing.
The caterpillars of many blue butterflies are often quite curiously shaped, they have relatively large, flattened bodies, with the small head hidden away at the front of the body mass. Often these caterpillars are likened to the common Slater or Wood-louse in shape.
Another fascinating aspect of the life history of many Blue butterflies is the way that their caterpillars and even their chrysalises interact with various ants. The ants are attracted to the caterpillar by its ability to secrete a sweet substance from glands at its tail end. In the groups where these interactions occur, sometimes they take the form of various species of ants being casually interested in the caterpillar, milling around it, “milking” it of its honeydew and sometime also showing interest in the chrysalis. In other cases, a single family of ant species closely attends the caterpillar. The ants not only attend the caterpillar and fiercely defend it, but they shepherd it down into the ant nest and lets it form its chrysalis there. Sometime the association goes the full circle, with the caterpillars of some Blue butterflies having adapted from eating plants and living instead as parasites in the ant nests, eating the baby ants!
In South Australia, we have many species of a group of Blue butterflies called Azures. These are of the genus Ogyris and many of them have life histories intimately associated with ants. Most of these species are Mistletoe feeders and in some cases the ants allow the caterpillars to live in their nests at the base of the tree on which the Mistletoe grows, herding the caterpillars up the trunk to feed each evening. In another mysterious group of Azure butterflies that don’t feed on Mistletoes, it is known that these rare insects are even more reliant on the ant association. It is suspected that in at least one case a member of this group has caterpillars that feed on the ant grubs, but nobody has been able to confirm this so far.
Lycaenidae butterfly fact sheets
Chequered Copper
Lucia limbaria
Rare, occasionally seen in undisturbed fringe urban areas, or in meadow areas and reserves. Caterpillars eat native sorrel.
Rayed Blue
Candalides heathi heathi
Now a rare butterfly, more often seen in foothills woodland habitat. The caterpillars have adapted to introduce ribwort.
Long-tailed Pea-blue
Lampidies boeticus
Often common around its host plants of small pea flowering herbs, shrubs and vines. Caterpillars eat the flowers and pods.
Common Grass-blue
Zizena labradus
Often very common, seen flitting low in open grassy areas. Caterpillars feed on herbaceous pea plants and have adapted to clover.
Fringed Heath-blue
Neolucia agricola agricola
Found in woodland and heath areas during spring. Caterpillars eat small, native bush-peas.
Saltbush Blue
Theclinesthes serpentata
Common around saltbushes on which its caterpillars feed.
Bitter-bush Blue
Theclinesthes albocincta
Found in coastal areas. Butterflies in hot, dry areas have very reduced blue areas. Caterpillars feed on the bitter bush (Adriana).
Two-spotted Line-blue
Nacaduba biocellata biocellata
Common in fringe urban areas on the plains; rare in the hills. Has a very small caterpillar that eats Acacia (wattle) buds.
Wattle Blue
Theclinesthes miskini miskini
Usually seen congregating on the tops of hills. Caterpillars eat the leaves of Acacia (wattles).
Genoveva Azure
Ogyris genoveva
The iridescent blue upper side is only seen when flying. Caterpillars feed on yellow mistletoe (Amyema spp.).
Broad-margined Azure
Ogyris olane
Males fly around the tops of the mistletoe host-trees or gather on hilltops. Females fly around the mistletoe.
Satin Azure
Ogyris amaryllis meridionalis
The bright metallic blue upper side is usually only seen when flying. Caterpillars feed on mistletoe (only Amyema spp).
Blotched Dusky-blue
Candalides acastus
Common in undisturbed native vegetation areas. Caterpillars prefer to eat small, slender species of parasitic dodder-laurel.
Western Dusky-blue
Candalides hyacinthinus simplex
Now occurs east of the Mt Lofty Range, flying near its hostplant. Caterpillars feed on coarse parasitic dodder laurel growing on mallee.
Icilus Blue
Jalmenus icilius
Now rare in the Adelaide area. Usually occurs in small colonies in woodland areas near its host plant.
