Candalides heathi

Candalides heathi (Cox, 1873)
(one synonym: Lycaena paradoxa)
Rayed Blue
CANDALIDINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 12 May 2008)

Candalides heathi
(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, taken at Ingleburn, Sydney)

This Caterpillar is green with dense white hairs, and six reddish nobs on its back. It is usually attended by a number of black ants. It hides by day, and feeds by night on a variety of plants including :

Emu Bush, ( Eremophila longifolia, MYOPORACEAE ),

Plantains ( Plantago, PLANTAGINACEAE ),

Derwent Speedwell ( Derwentia derwentiana, SCROPHULARIACEAE ), and

Pimelea, ( THYMELAEACEAE ).

The Caterpillars grow to a length of about 1.5 cms. The pupa is brown and rough, with a length of about 1 cm. It is formed either on the foodplant or in the ground debris nearby.

The adults are pale brown on top, with a purple sheen. Underneath, they are white with a row of black dots along the wing margins. The butterflies have a wing span of about 3 cms.

underside
(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, taken at Ingleburn, Sydney)

The eggs are pale green, round, rough, and flattened. They have a diameter of about 0.8 mm. They are laid singly usually in the axil of a leaf.

The butterfly is more often encountered in the open fields than the dense forest. It prefers to remain close to the ground. The species occurs over the southern half of Australia, including

New South Wales,

South Australia, and

Victoria,

as two races:

alpina, and

heathi.