General Description
Above: pale purple-blue with wing edges dull brown. Below: grey with brown and white markings. Antennae clubbed. Wingspan up to 3 cm.
Biology
Common Grass-blue butterflies fly close to the ground, landing frequently to feed on flowers. The caterpillars feed on low-growing native and introduced legumes. They are green and well camouflaged amongst their food plants. Small black ants sometimes tend the developing caterpillars and cocoons (pupae).
Distribution
Western and eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
Urban areas and grasslands.
More Information
-
Animal Type
-
Animal SubType
-
Brief Id
These small lilac-blue butterflies flutter slowly, stopping frequently to feed on the nectar of low-growing flowers.
-
Colours
Brown, White, Blue, Purple
-
Maximum Size
3 cm
-
Habitats
Wetland, Urban, DryForest, WetForest, Woodland, Mallee, Grassland
-
Diet
Nectar
-
Endemicity
-
Commercial
No
-
Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
-
Plants
Legumes
-
Flight Start
January
-
Flight End
December
-
Taxon Name
-
Scientific Author
(Godart, 1824)
-
Common Name
Common Grass-blue
-
Other Names
Grass Blue Butterfly , Common Grass-blue , Clover Blue
-
Kingdom
-
Phylum
-
Subphylum
-
Class
-
Subclass
-
Superorder
-
Order
-
Suborder
-
Superfamily
-
Family
-
Subfamily
-
Genus
-
Species Name
otis
-
Subspecies
labradus
