Klug, 1834
Description:
The upperside of this butterfly looks like that of a copper with little tails, while the underside reminds one of a Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) with brown bands on a light-beige background. It occurs in dry, hot places, on abandoned agricultural ground, scrub or steppe.
Populations are small.
Little is known about its life cycle, or on which plant the eggs are laid or whether the first instar caterpillars feed from it. However, it is probable that the females, like those of other silver-line butterflies, accept plants from various (Leguminosae, Polygonaceae, Cistaceae) genera on which to lay their eggs. It is known that the two last instars live in the nest of Crematogaster ants, where they feed on ant grubs and pupae, and, to a lesser extent, on food that the ants bring in. It is not improbable that, as soon as they hatch, the very young caterpillars find their way to the ants' nest.
Habitat:
Sclerophyllous scrub
Similar species:
Unmistakable