Nesolycaena urumelia

Nesolycaena urumelia (Tindale, 1922)
(one synonym: Candalides wilkinsi)
Arnhemland Blue
CANDALIDINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

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

(updated 28 June 2009)

Nesolycaena urumelia
male
(Photo: courtesy of Andy Young and Rowan Moore)

The Caterpillars of this speciesare green with white diagonal lines along the sides. They grow to a length of about 1.5 cms. They feed on :

Long-leaved Boronia ( Boronia lanceolata, RUTACEAE ), or

Red Boronia ( Boronia lanuginosa, RUTACEAE ).

The Caterpillars reside under the leaves on which they feed.

The pupa is formed attached to the underside of a foodplant leaf or in ground debris near the plant. The pupa is green if attached to a leaf, or brown if on the ground. Its length is about 1 cm.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Andy Young and Rowan Moore)

The adult butterflies of this species are basically bluish-white, with black edges to the upper surfaces. The males have black veins in the centre of the upper surface of each forewing. Underneath, the forewings each have a pair of black spots at the margin, and the hindwings underneath each have a marginal arc of black spots. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 2.5 cms. They have unusually short antennae (with lengths of only about 3 mms.)

underside
(Photo: courtesy of Andy Young and Rowan Moore)

The eggs are pale green, round, flattened and rough, with a diameter of about 0.6 mm. They are laid singly on leaf stalks or under leaves of a foodplant.

The species occurs mainly in Arnhemland in the Northen Territory.