The egg of this species is mandarin shaped and dirty white, laid usually in small groups on the stems of a food plant. The Caterpillar is initially green and flattened with black clubbed setae. Later it becomes brown with obscure diagonal markings and some pale marks along the back. The Caterpillars are usually attended by various species of ants.

(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

It hides by day in a crevice on the tree with its foodplant, which may be one of various species of Mistletoe ( LORANTHACEAE ), including :

• Gum-leaf Mistletoe ( Amyema bifurcata ),
• Sheoak Mistletoe ( Amyema cambagei ),
• Erect Mistletoe ( Amyema congener ),
• Pincushion Mistletoe ( Amyema fitzgeraldii ),
• Buloke Mistletoe ( Amyema linophyllum ),
• Lucas' Mistletoe ( Amyema lucasii ),
• Mackay Mistletoe ( Amyema mackayensis ),
• Pale Leaved Mistletoe ( Amyema maidenii ),
• Melaleuca Mistletoe ( Amyema melaleucae ),
• Box Mistletoe ( Amyema miquelii ),
• Fleshy Mistletoe ( Amyema miraculosum ),
• Drooping Mistletoe ( Amyema pendula ),
• Wire-leaved Mistletoe ( Amyema preissii ),
• Grey Mistletoe ( Amyema quandang ),
• Christmas Mistletoe ( Amyema sanguinea ), and
• Mangrove Mistletoe ( Amyema thalassium ).

     
(Photos: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The pupa is brown, with a dark line along the back flanked by a paler region each side.

female
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The adult butterflies upper surfaces are an iridescent blue with black margins.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The margins are much narrower on the males.

male, underside
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

Underneath they have a complex black, and brown pattern, with a number of white bars under the costa of each forewing.

female, underside
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The females also have have a number of red marks underneath. The red marks bear some resemblance to the red fruits of some of the mistletoe plants on which the eggs are laid. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 3.5 cms.

Confined to Casurina stands located mainly along waterways, the butterflies of this locally common species can be seen high up around the canopy. The species occurs over the whole of mainland Australia, as several races including:

male
( Australia Post, 1981)

Further reading :

Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 2, pp. 699-701.

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