Jalmenus daemeli

Jalmenus daemeli Semper, [1879]
Emerald Hairstreak
(previously known as Ialmenus daemeli)
ZESIINI, THECLINAE, LYCAENIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA

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

Jalmenus daemeli
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

This Caterpillar is initially green with a black pattern, but later turns brown with a white pattern. The head is black, and there are raised areas on the first and last segments. The caterpillar is attended by the black ants :

Iridomyrmex rufoniger ( DOLICHODERINAE ).

It has been found it feeding on the foliage of

Silver-leaved Ironbark ( Eucalyptus melanophloia, MYRTACEAE ), and

Scrub Boonaree ( Heterodendrum diversifolium, SAPINDACEAE ),

and on many species of

Wattle ( Acacia, MIMOSACEAE ).

The caterpillar grows to a length of about 1 cm.

(Photo: courtesy of Craig Tomkinson, Gunalda, Queensland)

It pupates under a leaf of the food plant, the pupa being initially green with brown markings, and later brown.

(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

The pupa also attracts the same ants. The pupa also had a length of about 1 cm.

male
(Picture: courtesy of CSIRO Biodiversity)

The male adult has metallic greenish-blue wing upper surfaces, with two eye-spots by a little tail on each hind wing, and a short black bar on each forewing. The female is similar except the iridescence is more purplish.

female
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

The under-surface has a pattern of fawn and brown, and also has a pair of eye-spots by the tail on each hind wing. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 cms.

underside
(Photo: Don Herbison-Evans, Bundaberg, Queensland)

The eggs are laid in small clusters on a branch of a young plant. The eggs are brown, round and flattened, and covered in a sparse off-white hexagonal spiky lattice. The eggs have a diameter of about 0.6 mm.

eggs, magnified
(Photo: courtesy of Ken Walker, Millmerran, Queensland)

The species is found mainly in the coastal areas of

Queensland, and

New South Wales.

mating pair
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Tomkinson, Gunalda, Queensland)