Small Green Banded Blue - Psychonotis caelius

FAMILY LYCAENIDAE

This page contains information and pictures about Small Green Banded Blue Butterflies in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.


Wingspan 35mm

The top side of the male butterflies are bright blue in colour while females have the dark thick band on edge. The underside of its wings is metallic greenish-blue in colour, shiny bright under the sun light.



We easily found quite a number of Small Green-banded Blue Butterflies near Alexandra Hill along the creek in late summer. They are common in Brisbane bushlands.



Small Green-banded Blue butterflies are common in Brisbane. On a sunny day, it is easy to find one or two of them flying near their host plants, the Pink Ash and Red Ash Alphitonia sp..



The top side of the male butterflies are bright blue in colour while females have the dark thick band.



Females are easily seen flying near the host plants.





Red Ash, Soap Tree, Soapy Ash

Alphitonia excelsa, Rhamnaceae

Red Ash is common in Brisbane bushlands. Besides the Small Green-banded Blue caterpillars, the leaves are also fed by many other insects, include the Green Scarab Beetles and Bramble Sawflies. New shoots smell of sarsaparilla when crushed. Leaves contain saponin, a chemical released by soaking leaves in water for washing hand.


Females laying eggs on host plant leaves

The Small Green-banded Blue caterpillar is pale white in colour and feed on Pink Ash and Red Ash Alphitonia sp.. They feed only on the bottom side of leaves. They are not attended by ants.

Reference:
1. Psychonotis caelius - Australian Caterpillars, Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley, 2005.
2. Create More Butterflies - by Frank Jordan and Helen Schwencke, Earthling Enterprises, 2005, p41.
3. Wild Plants of Greater Brisbane - Queensland Museum, 2003, p126.
4. The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia - Michael F Braby, Australian National University, CSIRO 2004, p272.