Notes

A small species, and they’re really hard to follow in flight owing to their unspectacular brown colour. The easiest way to spot them tends to be when they get involved in a territorial dispute, as they are a bit bolshy and like to chase other butterflies off. They’re generally hard to approach, which makes it a bit difficult to get photos. I continually find that just as I’m getting ready to take a picture, the subject flies off. Plenty of patience is required, and a few well-chosen expletives come in handy as well.

I can’t help wondering why their common name includes the word “Blue”, when there isn’t the slightest hint of blue about them at all.

I first found this species in bushland close to East Hills. I subsequently found it in the reserve at Ingleburn, though only in one small area (so far), and not as many specimens as at East Hills. They’re easier to find in the Blue Mountains, both at lower altitudes (e.g. Glenbrook) and hilltopping in the higher areas such as Blackheath and Bell, where worn specimens sometimes do a convincing impersonation of Acrodipsas myrmecophila in flight.

Links

• The Complete Field Guide to Australian Butterflies (2nd edition) by Michael F. Braby
• Atlas of Living Australia
• South Australian Butterflies & Moths
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility
• Tobias Westmeier’s website
• Canberra Nature Map
• Bushpea
• iNaturalist
• Video by “The Green Eye”