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Small Dusky Blue - Candalides erinus
FAMILY LYCAENIDAE
This page contains information and pictures about Small Dusky Blue Butterflies in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Wingspan 25mm
- We found them in Yugarapul Park during mid-summer. They look like the Common Grass Blue but with dark spots on bottom of front wings.
- We also found this Small Dusky Blue sun-bathing on the foot path in Alexandra Hill during late summer.
- In late summer we also found many of them near White Hill. They fly close to the ground and like to rest on ground or plants near the ground level.
- As most other Blue butterflies, the top side of their wings are grey blue in colour, becomes copper brown under the sunlight.
- The males seem to have strong territory behavior. Their territory is about 1 meter in diameter. When another male comes into the occupied territory, there will be a short battle, the territory owner can usually drive the intruder away.
- Their caterpillars are green with a pale yellow line edged and with brown markings, come out to feed on the parasitic-vine Dodder Laurel Cassytha pubescens at night.
- Above pictures were taken on White Hill during late summer. The butterfly was feeding on Smooth Darling Pea Swainsona galegifolia.
- We can concluded that this butterfly is common in Brisbane Eucalypt forest. It can be recognized by the two dots under each forewings.
- Reference and Link:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p 899.
- 2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p466.
- 3. Create More Butterflies - by Frank Jordan and Helen Schwencke, Earthling Enterprises, 2005, p59.
- 4. Candalides erinus - Australian Caterpillars, Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2005.
- 5. Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane - Queensland Museum, 2003, p68, Dodder Laurel Cassytha pubescens.
- 6. Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane - Queensland Museum, 2003, p195, Darling Pea Swainsona galegifolia.
- 2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p466.
