Chrysoritis aridus
Encyclopedia
The Namaqua Opal is a butterfly
of the Lycaenidae
family. It is found in South Africa
, where it is found in Succulent Karoo in the North Cape.
The wingspan
is 22-26 mm for males and 28-34 mm for females. Adults are on year from September to November. There is one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Chrysanthemoides incana and Zygophyllum
species.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family. It is found in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where it is found in Succulent Karoo in the North Cape.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 22-26 mm for males and 28-34 mm for females. Adults are on year from September to November. There is one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Chrysanthemoides incana and Zygophyllum
Zygophyllum
Zygophyllum is the type genus of the flowering plant family Zygophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words ζυγόν , meaning "yoke," and φυλλον , meaning "leaf." It refers to the leaves, each of which have two leaflets...
species.