General Description

Above: brown-black with central orange patch to each wing, hindwing with orange edge and a black tail. Below: grey with black markings and a red edge to hindwing. Wingspan up to 3 cm.

Biology

Silky Hairstreak butterflies emerge in early spring. Their caterpillars feed on Blackwood and Silver Wattle trees. Strong-smelling ants tend the caterpillars, protecting them from parasites and gaining sweet secretions for food in return. There are many subspecies, some of which are threatened in parts of their range.

Distribution

South-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat

Open eucalypt forests and woodland areas.

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