Megisba strongyle (Small Pied Blue)

Other Common Name

Malayan

Notes

I first saw this butterfly in a park in Cairns, on my first trip in October 2005. It was late in the afternoon, and I was looking for Melantis leda, when I saw a very small butterfly fluttering across the grass. It landed briefly several times and then took off again, but by following it across the park I was eventually able to get a photo. It’s not a very good photo, as the light was dim and the flash reflected off the silvery-white underside. Still, it was good enough to allow identification, and that’s much better than nothing 🙂
Unfortunately the flash started the butterfly, which took off up into the trees.

I didn’t see another one until September 2008, when I saw them in a few places around Cairns, particularly at Lake Placid, where Bob Miller also found larvae (including the one shown here).

Sightings

Cairns – October 2005, September 2008, December 2008, November 2013

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