Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius taygetus
Wingspan: 30mm - 32mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage: December to May
Distribution: Cape York, FNQ to Wollongong, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon but seen annually
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
Wingspan: 30mm - 32mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage: December to May
Distribution: Cape York, FNQ to Wollongong, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon but seen annually
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
Small Green-banded Blue, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 5 May 2016
Female Small Green-banded Blue, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 5 May 2016
Male Small Green-banded Blue underside, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 2 Apr 2012
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Small Green-banded Blue larva on Alphitonia, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 16 Mar 2011
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Male Small Green-banded Blue feeding on Parsonsia, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 12 Feb 2016
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Male Small Green-banded Blue, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 12 Feb 2016
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Female laying an egg on Alphitonia, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 5 May 2016
Egg found on Alphitonia, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 4 Feb 2021
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Larva hatched from egg on left, 1st instar, 4 Feb 2021
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14 Feb 2021
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17 Feb 2021
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Larva final instar, 23 Feb 2021
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Pre-pupa, 2 Mar 2021
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The upperside of a male that unfortunately didn't survive, 4 May 2021
Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius taygetus
Wingspan: 30mm - 32mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage: December to May
Distribution: Cape York, FNQ to Wollongong, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon but seen annually
Status Dorrigo Plateau: uncommon
Butterfly Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval Food Plants:
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Rainforest edge
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Last autumn sighting - Dorrigo Plateau: 05/05/16,
Interesting observations:
24/01/21 - sighted flying high and settling on a mature Alphitonia excelsa - possibly egg depositing?
31/01/21 - sunning on upper-side of Alphitonia excelsa leaves and on fern leaves.
* We have recorded this small butterfly as uncommon but note it tends to stay near its Alphitonia food plant seldom visiting our butterfly garden. Being small it is not always an easy butterfly to notice high in our rainforest zones.
* In flight this little butterfly can appear to be black and white but, when it settles one sees the beautiful light iridescent blue markings.
* We have been planting more Alphitonias and as they mature we expect numbers of these butterflies to multiply.
* Here at Claire Cottage we have noted the Small Green-banded Blue larvae are not usually attended by ants.
Wingspan: 30mm - 32mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage: December to May
Distribution: Cape York, FNQ to Wollongong, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon but seen annually
Status Dorrigo Plateau: uncommon
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Dec 2013, 2014, Jan 2011, 2015, 2016 (3), 2021 (2), Feb 2004, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 (2), 2021 (3), Mar 2004, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 (3), 2016, 2018 (3) Apr 2012, 2018 May 2016,
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: None to date.
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Feb 2021,
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: None to date
Larval Food Plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: RHAMNACEAE: Alphitonia excelsa & Alphitonia petriei
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: (as for Claire Cottage)
- ELSEWHERE: as for Claire Cottage plus RHAMNACEAE: Alphitonia incana
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Rainforest edge
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Last autumn sighting - Dorrigo Plateau: 05/05/16,
Interesting observations:
24/01/21 - sighted flying high and settling on a mature Alphitonia excelsa - possibly egg depositing?
31/01/21 - sunning on upper-side of Alphitonia excelsa leaves and on fern leaves.
* We have recorded this small butterfly as uncommon but note it tends to stay near its Alphitonia food plant seldom visiting our butterfly garden. Being small it is not always an easy butterfly to notice high in our rainforest zones.
* In flight this little butterfly can appear to be black and white but, when it settles one sees the beautiful light iridescent blue markings.
* We have been planting more Alphitonias and as they mature we expect numbers of these butterflies to multiply.
* Here at Claire Cottage we have noted the Small Green-banded Blue larvae are not usually attended by ants.