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Emerging imperial blue butterfly

Jalmenus evagoras

Photo by MartinL
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Tiny blue butterfly stretches and expands its wings after it emerges from its cocoon. The brown larvae (pic 2) and cocoon (pic 3and 4 ) are swarmed by ants who protect it from predators and receive honeydew as a reward.

Habitat:

Sometimes common on low acacia and always attended by ants.

Reference Links:

Imperial Blue, Imperial Hairstreak - Jalmenus evagoras

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (14)
MartinL
Another spotting of this species It seems quite late in the season. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/20689020
MartinL
Thanks for your comments. These are common this year but sometimes absent for many years. They're hard to photograph because of angry ants everywhere. Ant associations are known to exist for many lycaenid species.
Ashish
This is learning lesson Martin.. Great efforts.. for this Great spotting..!!
Mark Ridgway
Exceptional picture story martin. You must have really enjoyed that find.
bayucca
Would be a pity not to see this wonderful adult butterfly!
MartinL
I've added the adult butterfly.
Maria dB
Interesting series and information!
MartinL
Bayucca thanks for that fascinating data. That is all new to me. Evolution will use any mechanism available to gain a survival advantage, so maybe we don't need to be surprised. All vertebrates already use "bioacoustics" (I love that word already).
MartinL
Here are (other) ants with some early instar larvae of the same butterfly species. This species is quite common this year. The leaf hopper nymph is incidental and noticed later. If you see arboreal ants, then always look more closely. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7863367
bayucca
Excellent spotting and interesting info! Martin, did you ever heard of singing caterpillars?? Check the link and read "my" story about this amazing relationship between larvae and ants. Did you know how this works in your wonderful Lycaenidae? In metalmark this function is quite wellknown. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8520599
Atul
absolutely martin :-))
MartinL
Atul, every photo has a story and every spotting is a specimen frozen in time. A photograph of a speeding car has its movement frozen and needs words to tell a more complete story
Atul
lovely spotting martinl ,your spottings are always very informative , thanks for sharing! also you could consider adding it to the mission SymbioticRelationships!

Spotted for Missions

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Butterflies & Moths of the World
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NWF: Watch for Wildlife!

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Photographed
PublishedFebruary 9, 2012

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