| Common grass blue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| This specimen, perched on a rose, is approximately 10 mm in size | |
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| At Cape Hillsborough National Park, Australia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Zizina |
| Species: | Z. labradus |
| Binomial name | |
| Zizina labradus | |
| Subspecies | |
| |
Zizina labradus, the common grass blue, grass blue, [3] or clover blue, [4] is a small Australian butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
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. [5] The lower wing surface is brown to pale brownish grey with a pattern of fawn bands and spots, [4] [6] 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. [5] Common grass blues have a weak, fluttering flight and so usually fly near ground level close to a food source. [5]
Eggs are white or pale blue and have a mandarin shape[ clarification needed ] with a pitted surface. [5] 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. [6] In captivity, fed on an artificial diet, larvae come in highly variable colours, ranging from white through red to dark purple. [5] Pupa are 10 mm long with erect hairs. Colouration varies, ranging from pink, greyish or greenish cream and contains mottled dark spots. [5]
The subspecies Zizina labradus labradus is found over most of continental Australia, as well as on Lord Howe Island, [6] Norfolk Island, and Christmas Island, [7] while the subspecies Zizina labradus labdalon is restricted mainly to Cape York Peninsula. [6] The common grass blue is often misidentified as the lesser grass blue, Zizina otis . [6]
Zizina labradus labradus, as its name suggests, is very common and can be found in suburban gardens, particularly perching in grass; lawns and fields. [5]
Single eggs are laid which can hatch in a matter of days. [6] 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 [5] [6] including Cullen australasicum (Tall Scurf-pea); Hardenbergia violacea (Native Lilac); Kennedia prostrata (Running Postman); and Lotus australis (Austral Trefoil). [8] Newly hatched larvae eat small holes from young leaves or flower buds, and later feed mainly inside flowers. [5] 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. [5] In captivity when food is scarce the larger larvae will cannibalize smaller ones. [5]
The larvae are typically attended by ants of the genera Paratrechina , Rhytidoponera , and Tapinoma . [4]
The pupa attaches to the lower leaf surface of the food plants with anal hooks and a central girdle. [5] [6]
The small blue is a Palearctic butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Despite its common name, it is not particularly blue. The male has some bluish suffusion at the base of its upper wings but is mostly dark brown like the female. The species can live in colonies of up to several hundred and in its caterpillar stage is cannibalistic.
Apatura iris, the purple emperor, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The geranium bronze or brun des pélargoniums in French, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.
Papilio demoleus is a common and widespread swallowtail butterfly. The butterfly is also known as the lime butterfly, lemon butterfly, lime swallowtail, and chequered swallowtail. These common names refer to their host plants, which are usually citrus species such as the cultivated lime. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies, it does not have a prominent tail. When the adult stage is taken into consideration, the lime swallowtail is the shortest-lived butterfly, with male adults dying after four days and females after a week. The butterfly is native to Asia and Australia, and can be considered an invasive pest in other parts of the world. The butterfly has spread to Hispaniola island in the Western Hemisphere, and to Mahé, Seychelles.
Tagiades japetus, commonly known as the pied flat or the common snow flat, is a species of spread-winged skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is widely distributed, being found from India, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, to Australia. It contains several recognized subspecies.
Heliconius erato, or the red postman, is one of about 40 neotropical species of butterfly belonging to the genus Heliconius. It is also commonly known as the small postman, the red passion flower butterfly, or the crimson-patched longwing. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Zizina otis, the lesser grass blue, is a species of blue (Lycaenidae) butterfly found in south and southeast Asia. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1787. The lesser grass blue is often misidentified as Zizina labradus, the common grass blue.
Ornithoptera euphorion, the Cairns birdwing, is a species of birdwing butterfly endemic to Queensland, and is Australia's largest endemic butterfly species. Other common names include Cooktown birdwing and northern birdwing. The names Cairns and Cooktown in its common name reference the Australian cities in the region where this butterfly is found.
Lampides boeticus, the pea blue, or long-tailed blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or gossamer-winged family.
Geitoneura klugii, the common xenica or Klug's xenica, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It is a southern Australian butterfly that is easily camouflaged because of its resemblance to the ground where it is usually found fluttering. It has a wingspan of about 38 millimetres (1.5 in). The upper and lower side of the forewing is black with brownish-black markings and contains a black spot with a white centre. The orange hindwing is set off by a black border and a black-rimmed eyespot. The underside of the hindwing ranges from grey to brown and consists of darker markings.
Atalopedes campestris is a small grass skipper butterfly. It has a wingspan of 35–41 mm. Male is orange, edged with brown, and has a large brown-black stigma. Female is darker with lighter markings in the center of the wing.
The Australian painted lady is a species of butterfly mostly confined to Australia, although westerly winds have dispersed it to islands east of Australia, including New Zealand. Debate surrounds the taxonomy of this species. Some believe that the Australian painted lady should be a subspecies of the painted lady due to the similarity in lifestyle and behaviour. Furthermore, the painted lady is found around the globe, but Australia is the only location in which it varies enough to be considered a separate species.
Papilio anactus, the dainty swallowtail, dingy swallowtail or small citrus butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly from the family Papilionidae, that is endemic to Australia.
Zizeeria, commonly called grass blues, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, found in Africa and Asia.
Zizina is a genus of gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae) in the subfamily Polyommatinae.
Indigofera australis, the Australian indigo or Austral indigo, is an attractive species of leguminous shrub in the genus Indigofera. The genus name Indigofera is Neo-Latin for "bearing Indigo". The specific epithet australis, from the Latin, means not “Australian” but "southern", referring to the geographical distribution of the species.
Zizina antanossa, the dark grass blue or clover blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in all of Africa, including Madagascar and Réunion.
Heteronympha cordace, the bright-eyed brown, is a brown colored butterfly endemic to Australia. It was described by Carl Geyer in 1832.
Theclinesthes serpentata, commonly known as the saltbush blue or chequered blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae that is native to Australia. The species was first described in 1869 by German entomologist and physician G. A. W. Herrich-Schäffer. It is common throughout all Australian states and territories, and can be found in a wide range of habitats.
