Blue Argus

We were surprised and delighted to find this butterfly at our place, as we hadn’t known that it could occur in this district.
It’s a blue argus (Junonia orithya albicincta).
You can see its resemblance to the more common meadow argus, in the February article on the plant “pink tongues” Rostellularia adscendans.
However, its behaviour is quite different. This one was very shy indeed, and quite hard for the camera to catch.


Its local host plants are shared with the meadow argus - a group of dainty little plants, all with pretty flowers, that grow naturally among grasses.
They include:
Blue Trumpet, Brunoniella australis
Love Flower, Pseuderanthemum variabile
and Pink Tongues, Rostellularia adscendans.
The meadow argus also uses Goodenia, Scaevola, Portulaca and Verbena species, which may explain why it is more common than the blue argus.
Blue argus may also breed on Pretty Pants, Hypoestes floribunda (see June 2009)