Udara blackburni

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Udara blackburni
Udara blackburni copula on Dodonaea viscosa on Maui

Udara blackburni -copula on Dodonaea viscosa
on Maui

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Bluebirds (Lycaenidae)
Subfamily : Polyommatinae
Genre : Udara
Type : Udara blackburni
Scientific name
Udara blackburni
( Tuely , 1878)

Udara blackburni ( Syn. : Vada blackburni ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) from the family of Bläulinge (lycaenidae), the endemic to Hawaii occurs. The species was dedicated to the Australian entomologist Thomas Blackburn .

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 22 to 29 millimeters. The basic color of the upper side of the wing is brownish. Depending on the incidence of light, a more or less pronounced violet to blue, metallic shimmer stands out, which is less iridescent in the females. The underside of the wings is bright green in both sexes. In English usage the species is therefore referred to as Green Hawaiian Blue . Little tails at the anal corner are missing.

Caterpillar

Fully grown caterpillars are stocky, woodlice-shaped, have a yellow-green, sometimes also an orange-brown color and are provided with yellowish secondary ridges and short, light hairs on the point warts. In contrast to many other types of bluebirds, they lack glands for excreting sweeteners. This is due to the fact that there are no ants in Hawaii that could form a symbiosis with Udara blackburni .

Distribution and occurrence

The range of the species includes the large islands of Hawaii . It is missing on Niʻihau and Kahoʻolawe . Udara blackburni is preferred in tropical forests.

Way of life

The moths fly in several generations throughout the year. The males usually look for the females in the treetops. Acacia species (primarily the koa acacia ( Acacia koa )), pithecellobium species, rain trees ( Samanea saman ), Perottetia sandwicensis , Dodonaea viscosa and Pipturus albidus are given as food plants for the caterpillars . They live individually and prefer to feed on the flowers and fruits, only occasionally on the leaves of the food plants.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e James A. Scott (1986). The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 399
  2. ↑ occurrence

literature

  • James A. Scott (1986). The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 399

Web links

Commons : Udara blackburni  - collection of images, videos and audio files