Jamides phaseli

Jamides phaseli (Mathew, 1889)
(one synonym : Lampides oranigra)
Dark Cerulean
POLYOMMATINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

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

Jamides phaseli
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

These Caterpillars are corrugated, and initially green. They later become brown, sometimes with dark stripes along the body.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

They feed on the flowerbuds and flowers of various FABACEAE, including especially :

Beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ),

Pongam ( Pongamia pinnata ),

Bay Bean ( Canavalia rosea ),

Forest Indigo ( Indigofera pratensis ), and

Cajanus reticulatus.

The Caterpillars are often accompanied by small black ants. The caterpillars grow to a length of about 1 cm.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The males are deep blue on top with a black margin. Each hindwing has a series of spots along the rear margin, including a prominent black one at the tornus. They have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Nich Monaghan, Broadbeach, Queensland)

The females are similar but are paler with a wider black margin, and are slightly larger than the males. Both sexes have a small tail on each hind wing.

Male upper surface
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

Underneath, both sexes are fawn with several arcs of white dashes. Each hind wing has an orange-edged black spot near the tornus.

Female upper surface
(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The eggs are round white and flattened, and typically laid on flower buds of a food plant.

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

The species occurs mainly in the north-east quarter of Australia, from Derby around to Port Macquarie, including

Northern Territory,

Queensland, and

Western Australia.

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