Hypochrysops halyaetus Hewitson, 1874
Western Jewel
(one synonym is Polyommatus uranites Meyrick, 1888)
THECLINAE,   LYCAENIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


female
(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

These Caterpillars are attended by and live in the nests of ant species including:

  • Crematogaster frivola ( MYRMICINAE ), and
  • Papyrius nitidus ( DOLICHODERINAE ).

    The caterpillars have been found feeding on :

  • Daphne Pea ( Daviesia daphnoides, FABACEAE ),
  • Marno ( Daviesia divaricata, FABACEAE ),
  • Green Stinkwood ( Jacksonia sternbergiana, FABACEAE ), and
  • White Stemmed Wattle ( Acacia xanthina, MIMOSACEAE ).

    The pupae are brown and mottled, with two black projections. The pupae have a length of about 1 cm. They are formed in the ant nest.


    male
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The adult male and female butterflies are different. On top, the males are dark brown with large areas on each wing of iridescent greenish blue. The females are dark bown with smaller areas of iridescent purple. Both have chequered black and white margins and an orange border to each hindwing.


    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    Underneath: the butterflies are dark yellow with iridescent pale green spots outlined in black. The butterflies have a wing span of about 3 cms.

    The eggs are white, round and flattened, with a diameter of about 1 mm. They are laid in clusters on a foodplant.

    The species is found in

  • the south of Western Australia.


    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia,
    CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 2, pp. 677-678.

    William Chapman Hewitson,
    Descriptions of New Species of Lycaenidae from his own Collection,
    Transactions of the Entomological Society of London,
    1874, Part 3, pp. 350-351.


    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 2 January 2004, 11 November 2013, 20 July 2020)