Lepidochrysops methymna
Encyclopedia
The Monkey Blue is a butterfly
of the Lycaenidae
family. It is found in South Africa
.
The wingspan
is 35-40 mm for males and 33-42 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to January, but it is most common in November and December.
The larvae feed on Selago fruticosa, Selago serrata and Selago spuria. Third and later instar larvae feed on the brood of Camponotus maculatus ants.
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...
.
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 35-40 mm for males and 33-42 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to January, but it is most common in November and December.
The larvae feed on Selago fruticosa, Selago serrata and Selago spuria. Third and later instar larvae feed on the brood of Camponotus maculatus ants.
Subspecies
- Lepidochrysops methymna methymna (Cape Peninsula)
- Lepidochrysops methymna dicksoni Tite, 1964 (Tygerberg Hills in the West Cape)