Trident Pencil-blue Candalides margarita
Wingspan: 30mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan 2019
There are two subspecies;
Candalides margarita margarita is found from Thursday Island, CYP south to central NSW.
Candalides margarita gilberti is found in northern WA & northern NT.
Distribution: From Thursday Island, CYP, QLD to Tuncurry near Forster, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: rare
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be rare
Note: In January 2019 we ID'd the butterfly photographed on 17 Jan 2019 as Candalides consimilis the Dark Pencil-blue, a species we had previously found at Claire Cottage. We find identifying Pencil-blues difficult but even harder when we only have under-wing images. It has been suggested to us (in January 2020 by KD) that the 17 Jan 2019 image is actually that of a Candalides margarita, the Trident Pencil-blue. We have accepted that identification (see image below) but knowing how difficult it is to be sure, when only the underside is available for identification, we will keep an open mind should anyone provide other evidence of how best to id from only underside photographs.
Following is an extract from Kelvyn Dunn's communication to us explaining the reasoning for his decision:
"... the beautiful fresh female dated 17 Jan 2019 is closest to C. margarita based on the evidence available in the photo.
The tornal & terminal black spots on the HW are quite prominent, and more extensive than might be expected in consimilis.
The post medial-subapical area of the FW needs inspection. The band is offset basally and quite significantly from the remainder of the band in the subterminal region.
The postmedian band of the HW slants basally (inwardly) in a diagonal line and does not align with the rest of the postmedian band from vein M2 downwards!
In consimilis it is still offset from the remainder but the upper portion of the band is diagonal in the opposite direction so that a gentle curve in the whole band presents. If you look at pictures of margarita in Braby (2016) there is no gentle curve in margarita. Instead there are two lines offset diagonally.
I feel very strongly that it is a female of margarita. It would be unusual to see one at an elevation but it is not far from the range of that species."
Wingspan: 30mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan 2019
There are two subspecies;
Candalides margarita margarita is found from Thursday Island, CYP south to central NSW.
Candalides margarita gilberti is found in northern WA & northern NT.
Distribution: From Thursday Island, CYP, QLD to Tuncurry near Forster, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: rare
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be rare
Note: In January 2019 we ID'd the butterfly photographed on 17 Jan 2019 as Candalides consimilis the Dark Pencil-blue, a species we had previously found at Claire Cottage. We find identifying Pencil-blues difficult but even harder when we only have under-wing images. It has been suggested to us (in January 2020 by KD) that the 17 Jan 2019 image is actually that of a Candalides margarita, the Trident Pencil-blue. We have accepted that identification (see image below) but knowing how difficult it is to be sure, when only the underside is available for identification, we will keep an open mind should anyone provide other evidence of how best to id from only underside photographs.
Following is an extract from Kelvyn Dunn's communication to us explaining the reasoning for his decision:
"... the beautiful fresh female dated 17 Jan 2019 is closest to C. margarita based on the evidence available in the photo.
The tornal & terminal black spots on the HW are quite prominent, and more extensive than might be expected in consimilis.
The post medial-subapical area of the FW needs inspection. The band is offset basally and quite significantly from the remainder of the band in the subterminal region.
The postmedian band of the HW slants basally (inwardly) in a diagonal line and does not align with the rest of the postmedian band from vein M2 downwards!
In consimilis it is still offset from the remainder but the upper portion of the band is diagonal in the opposite direction so that a gentle curve in the whole band presents. If you look at pictures of margarita in Braby (2016) there is no gentle curve in margarita. Instead there are two lines offset diagonally.
I feel very strongly that it is a female of margarita. It would be unusual to see one at an elevation but it is not far from the range of that species."
Photo ID'd as Candalides margarita by Kelvyn Dunn. Perching on Callistemon salignus, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 3.20pm 17 Jan 2019
Photo ID'd as Candalides margarita by Kelvyn Dunn. Perching on Callistemon salignus, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 3.20pm 17 Jan 2019
Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 17 Jan 2019 3.20 pm
Photo ID'd as Candalides margarita by Kelvyn Dunn. Perching on Callistemon salignus, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW, 3.20pm 17 Jan 2019
Trident Pencil-blue Candalides margarita
Wingspan: 30mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan 2019
There are two subspecies;
Candalides margarita margarita is found from Thursday Island, CYP south to central NSW.
Candalides margarita gilberti is found in northern WA & northern NT.
Distribution: From Thursday Island, CYP, QLD to Tuncurry near Forster, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: rare
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be rare
Butterfly Sightings:
Larva Sightings: (Note: Larvae usually not attended by ants).
Larval food plants: (flower buds and the young shoots of at least 14 Mistletoe species)
Thought to be breeding at Claire Cottage: unsure but there are many Mistletoes growing on our property and in the National Park bordering our property.
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
First warm season sighting - Claire Cottage: 17/01/2019
Last warm season sighting - Claire Cottage: 17/01/2019
Wingspan: 30mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan 2019
There are two subspecies;
Candalides margarita margarita is found from Thursday Island, CYP south to central NSW.
Candalides margarita gilberti is found in northern WA & northern NT.
Distribution: From Thursday Island, CYP, QLD to Tuncurry near Forster, NSW
Status Claire Cottage: rare
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be rare
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Jan 2019,
- Elsewhere on the DORRIGO PLATEAU: None
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larva Sightings: (Note: Larvae usually not attended by ants).
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- Elsewhere on the DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
- ELSEWHERE: None to date
Larval food plants: (flower buds and the young shoots of at least 14 Mistletoe species)
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: LORANTHACEAE - Amyema congener - subsp. rotundifolia (Variable Mistletoe), Amylotheca dictyophleba (Brush Mistletoe), Muellerina celastroides (Banksia Mistletoe).
- ELSEWHERE on the DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage)
- ELSEWHERE: in addition to the above, Benthamina, Decaisnina, Dendrophthoe
Thought to be breeding at Claire Cottage: unsure but there are many Mistletoes growing on our property and in the National Park bordering our property.
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
First warm season sighting - Claire Cottage: 17/01/2019
Last warm season sighting - Claire Cottage: 17/01/2019