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Common Grass-blue Butterfly

Zizina labradus

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A small smoky grey and pale blue butterfly with light and delicate patterns under wings and a beautiful tinted smoky blue-violet top of wings. 12mm tall wings closed.

Habitat:

This one on old seed pods of calistemon (red flowers); in suburban garden near dry eucalyptus forest.

Notes:

I think I remember seeing dozens of these daily when a child. I always loved the subtle colouring and the way we could never catch them.

http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~rbg/labradus_ds.htm

Reference Links:

Zizina labradus, Zizina labradus

Species ID Suggestions

Common Grass-blue Butterfly

Zizina labradus

Reference Link
MartinL
1

Comments (4)
Mark Ridgway
No I hadn't noticed - same game as that duck-head mantis lacewing then.
MartinL
Did you notice it seems to have only four legs. As an insect it must have six. The other two are held up between her eyes looking like a pointy nose. They are used for feeding. This is common of many butterfly species. It's an insect and a quadruped. Hmmm.
MartinL
It's the same one. They feed on clover and most clovers will have some larvae if you see chew marks. They can be bred but I've never tried because they're so tiny.
Mark Ridgway
Thanks martin for the id. I was wondering if this was the same. When we were kids there would be dozens of these flitting among the daisies on the nature strips around the suburbs. So it was just getting a plan view of the grass below then.

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Butterflies & Moths of the World
Photographed
PublishedJanuary 30, 2012

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