Theclinesthes miskini

Theclinesthes miskini (T.P. Lucas, 1889)
(one synonym : Lycaena sylvicola)
Wattle Blue
POLYOMMATINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

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

(updated 22 November 2008)

male
(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

The Caterpillar of this species is dark green or brown, with a dark dorsal band, and faint pale diagonal streaks. and a pale brown head. It is sometimes accompamied by various species of black or green ants. It has a preference for feeding on young seedlings, particularly of such species as :

Stink bean ( Paraserianthes lophantha , FABACEAE ),

Yellow Pea Bush ( Sesbania cannabina, FABACEAE ),

Port Lincoln Wattle ( Acacia anceps, MIMOSACEAE ),

Golden Wattle ( Acacia pycnantha, MIMOSACEAE ),

Coobah ( Acacia salicina, MIMOSACEAE ),

Golden Wreath Wattle ( Acacia saligna, MIMOSACEAE ),

Kurara ( Acacia tetragonophylla, MIMOSACEAE ), and

Scrub Boonaree ( Alectryon diversifolius, SAPINDACEAE ).

male
(Photo: courtesy of Museum Victoria)

The adults are predominantly pale blue on top with narrow chequered margins.

female
(Photo: by Valda McLean, courtesy of Bob James, Sunshine Coast)

However, the females also have a broad black band around the margins, and a submarginal arc of white scalloped markings on the hind wings which end in a pair of black spots beside a short narrow tail. Underneath, the wings are fawn, with several arcs of white scalloped markings. The hind wings also each have the two black spots underneath. The butterflies have a wing span of about 2 cms.

The eggs are disc-shaped, and pale green. They are laid singly on young shoots of a foodplant, often at the base of a leaf.

The species is found as various races in :

Indonesia,

New Guinea, and

Australia,

where the races found are :

arnoldi at the tip of Cape York,

eucalypti in much of the rest of Queensland,

miskini in the rest of Australia, including Victoria, and South Australia.