Nacaduba berenice

Nacaduba berenice (Herrich-Schaffer, 1869)
Large Purple or Six Line-blue
(previously known as Pepliphorus berenice)
POLYOMMATINI, POLYOMMATINAE, LYCAENIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Nacaduba berenice
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

This Caterpillar may have various colours, from green to pink, probably depending on its food. It has a dark line along the back. It feeds on the flower buds and young shoots of various plants, including :

Poppel Nut ( Macadamia integrifolia, PROTEACEAE ),

Beach Bird's Eye ( Alectryon coriaceus, SAPINDACEAE ), and

Australian Elm ( Aphananthe philippinensis, ULMACEAE ).

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island, Queensland)

The caterpillar is usually attended by small black ants from a variety species, including

Golden-tailed Spiny Ant (Polyrhachis ammon).

(Photo: courtesy of Harold McQueen, Goodna, Queensland)

The pupa is mottled brown, with a white patch where the wings develop. The pupa is held by anal hooks and girdle to a leaf or flower. It has a length of about 1 cm.

Male
(Photo: courtesy of John Lahey, Fort Bushcare Group, Queensland)

The adult male is mauve on the upper surfaces of the wings. The female is mauve but fading to dark grey at the edges of the wings, and has subterminal arcs of white chevrons on each hind wing. The hind wings of both sexes have a short tail, and the females have black spots beside the tail on the upper surfaces of each hind wing.

Female
(Photo: courtesy of John Lahey, Fort Bushcare Group, Queensland)

The undersurfaces of the wings are fawn, with half a dozen arcs of white dashes, and with one or two black spots on the tornus of each hind wing. The wingspan is about 2 cms.