Kingdom Animalia Family Lycaenidae Genus Theclinesthes Order Butterflies and moths | Class Insecta Phylum Arthropoda Rank Species | |
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Similar Nacaduba biocellata, Jalmenus icilius, Candalides heathi, Candalides, Candalides acasta | ||
Theclinesthes miskini, the wattle blue, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Australia and New Guinea.
Contents
Description
The wingspan is about 20 mm. Adults have a pale blue upperside with chequered margins, but females also have a broad black band around the margins. They also have an arc of white scalloped markings on the hindwings. The underside of the wings is fawn with several white markings.
The larvae are dark green or brown with a dark dorsal band and pale diagonal streaks.
Ecology
The larvae generally feed on plants in the Fabaceae family including Paraserianthes lophantha, Sesbania cannabina, Acacia anceps, A. auriculiformis, A. flavescens, A. pycnantha, A. salicina, A. saligna, A. tetragonophylla, A. harpophylla, A. holosericea, A. neriifolia and A. victoriae, but also on Alectryon diversifolius, Atalaya variifolia, Hakea vittata and Eucalyptus polycarpa. Young seedlings are preferred to older foliage.
Larvae are occasionally attended by various black or green ants in the genera Iridomyrmex, Ochetellus, Calomyrmex, Camponotus, Notoncus, Paratrechina or Polyrhachis.