Zizina labradus
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Zizina labradus, the common grass blue, grass blue,[1] or clover blue,[2] is a small Australian butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Description
Adults are purplish blue on the upper wing surface with a black body and black or brown wing margins. These margins are larger on the female than the male.[3] The lower wing surface is brown to pale brownish grey with a pattern of fawn bands and spots,[2][4] with the body covered in white or grey hairs. The wingspans of females are slightly larger than males, females having a wingspan of 23 mm and males 20 mm.[3] Common grass blues have a weak, fluttering flight and so usually fly near ground level close to a food source.[3]
Eggs are white or pale blue and have a mandarin shapeScript error: No such module "Unsubst". with a pitted surface.[3] Caterpillars reach about 7 mm in length, and their appearance is primarily green with a yellow stripe at the sides and a darker green stripe on the back, and brown or black head usually obscured under the thorax.[4] In captivity, fed on an artificial diet, larvae come in highly variable colours, ranging from white through red to dark purple.[3] Pupa are 10 mm long with erect hairs. Colouration varies, ranging from pink, greyish or greenish cream and contains mottled dark spots.[3]
Distribution
The subspecies Zizina labradus labradus is found over most of continental Australia, as well as on Lord Howe Island,[4] Norfolk Island, and Christmas Island,[5] while the subspecies Zizina labradus labdalon is restricted mainly to Cape York Peninsula.[4] The common grass blue is often misidentified as the lesser grass blue, Zizina otis.[4]
Zizina labradus labradus, as its name suggests, is very common and can be found in suburban gardens, particularly perching in grass; lawns and fields.[3]
Growth
Single eggs are laid which can hatch in a matter of days.[4] The eggs are laid on leaves, stems, flower buds and young pods of food plants, chiefly legumes of the family Fabaceae such as beans, clover, and various native species [3][4] including Cullen australasicum (Tall Scurf-pea); Hardenbergia violacea (Native Lilac); Kennedia prostrata (Running Postman); and Lotus australis (Austral Trefoil).[6] Newly hatched larvae eat small holes from young leaves or flower buds, and later feed mainly inside flowers.[3] The larvae are considered a minor pest and will feed on leguminous plants such as garden beans by eating a small hole into the pods and then devouring the soft seeds within.[3] In captivity when food is scarce the larger larvae will cannibalize smaller ones.[3]
The larvae are typically attended by ants of the genera Paratrechina, Rhytidoponera, and Tapinoma.[2]
The pupa attaches to the lower leaf surface of the food plants with anal hooks and a central girdle.[3][4]
References
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