Zebra Blue

Leptotes plinius

The Zebra Blue is a striking little Butterfly found in south Asia and Australia. You'll find them near a variety of different plants within the Citrus and Legume families, and they are especially fond of Leadwort (or Plumbago). They are also sometimes referred to as Plumbago Blues.

The topsides of the Zebra Blues are (expectedly) a shimmery blue hue. The underside of the wing is where the Zebra name comes from-- their sport a pattern that resembles that of their equine namesake. The Zebra Blues also have two black spots on each back wing that are encircled with shiny green. Caterpillars are a pale green color.

Eggs are pale green spheres that are laid on the undersides of leaves (often the aforementioned Leadwort). After hatching, the young insects have easy access to a food source. As adults, the Butterflies fly low to the ground, near those same food source plants.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : South Asia, Australia
Size : Wingspan up to 25mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Lycaenidae -- Genus : Leptotes -- Species : L. plinius