Anthene lycaenoides

Anthene lycaenoides (C.Felder, 1860)
(previously known as Dipsas lycaenoides)
Pale Ciliate Blue
LYCAENESTHINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

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

(updated 30 August 2008)

male
(Picture: courtesy of CSIRO Entomology)

This Caterpillar can be any colour, from yellow through green to purple, depending on the colour of the flower buds it is eating. It often has a pale sub-dorsal bands. It has been found feeding on a the flower buds of a wide variety of Australian native and introduced plants, including :

Pop-gun Seed ( Bridelia tomentosa, EUPHORBIACEAE ),

Rhyssopterys timorensis ( MALPIGHIACEAE ),

Supplejack ( Flagellaria indica, FLAGELLARIACEAE )

Lolly Bush ( Clerodendrum floribundum, VERBENACEAE ),

Buku ( Faradaya splendida , VERBENACEAE ),

Carrotwood ( Cupaniopsis anacardioides, SAPINDACEAE ),

Pongam ( Pongamia pinnata, FABACEAE ),

Wood Gossip ( Caesalpina crista, CAESALPINIACEAE ),

Stick Senna ( Senna alata, CAESALPINIACEAE ),

Pudding Pie Tree ( Cassia fistula, CAESALPINIACEAE ),

Kolomana ( Cassia retusa = Senna gaudichaudii, CAESALPINIACEAE ), and

Glossy Shower ( Senna surattensis, CAESALPINIACEAE ).

The Caterpillars are often attended by ants of a variety of species, including :

Citrus Ants ( Oecophylla smaragdina, FORMICINAE ),

Acrobat Ants ( Crematogaster, MYRMICINAE ),

Black Ants ( Iridomyrmex anceps, DOLICHODERINAE ), and

Odontomachus ruficeps ( PONERINAE ).

The pupa is green with a yellow line along the back. Its length is about 1 cm. It is formed on top a foodplant leaf, and held by the tail and a girdle.

The adult male butterflies are lilac on top, whereas the females are brown with lilac toward the base of each wing, and have a white patch in the middle of each forewing. They both have a small tail at the tornus of each hindwing. Underneath, they are both fawn with arcs of darker markings, and an orange-edged black spot by the hindwing tail. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

The eggs are blue turning white, and are round, flattened and pitted. They are laid singly on flower buds or young shoots of a foodplant.

This subspecies godeffroyi is found in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory, and other subspecies are found in New Guinea, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.