Apr 21, 2025
#2859 - Arhopala bazalus - Powdered Oakblue
A Lycaenid butterfly found from India to Japan. The males are fairly dull, but the females have a deep violet-blue spot on the wings.
Photo by M.Nishimura, on Wiki.
The caterpillars eat Stone Oak (Lithocarpus) leaves, and are guarded by ants. That latter association is common among the Lycaenidae. Doesn't protect the eggs from older caterpillars though, who will cut off any section of leaf with unhatched eggs on them and let them fall to the ground.
The other 200 species in the genus are found across much of Asia and down to Australia.
Aoshima, Japan.
