The Dark Caerulean

Jamides bochus

Description

The male Jamides bochus has metallic dark blue upper wings, and the female is pale blue in color with prominent spots on the edge of the hind wings. Both have wide black borders on both wings. The underside of the wing is reddish brown with transverse buff-white fasciae, black tornal spots with an orange crown, and a long white-tipped tail on the veins 2 of the hind wings.

Larva: Jamides bochus larvae are reddish brown in color with short, smooth setae all over the body.

Pupa: The pupa of Jamides bochus is pale pink to cream in color with a number of brown and black spots of varying sizes, with a distinctive lycaenid shape.

Population Size

-

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

-

LENGTH

Wingspan from 24 - 28 mm.

Ar

Arboreal

He

Herbivore

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Arthropoda

CLASS

:

Insecta

ORDER

:

Lepidoptera

FAMILY

:

Lycaenidae

GENUS

:

Jamides

SPECIES

:

Jamides bochus

Distribution

Jamides bochus can be found in forest areas, mangrove areas and river banks.

Geography

Continent : Asia, Australia

Country : Jamides bochus spread across the Indian Peninsula, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.

Habits and Lifestyle

Jamides bochus flies fast and active, the male butterfly will produce a metallic blue flash that attracts attention while flying.

Lifestyle

Arboreal

Biome

Tropical rain forest

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Jamides bochus larvae feed on the young leaves, pods and flowers of several Leguminoseae species, such as Pueraria phaseoloides, Pongamia pinnata and Crotalaria mucronata.

Diet : Herbivore (larva), Nectarivore

Mating Habits

Jamides bochus reproduce by laying eggs (oviparous), the eggs are laid in small groups in the space between buds or between the flower stalks of the host plant. The egg is pale green in the form of a small discoid, the surface is covered with a web-like pattern.

Life cycle (Metamorfosis) : Lampides boeticus caterpillar passes through 4 instars before pupating, its body is yellowish to reddish brown with a pale yellowish brown oblique lateral line. The pupa phase occurs in a limited space of leaf litter, the pupa is reddish brown with brownish spots, its body is protected by a silk belt. After 6-7 days, the butterflies emerge from the pupa.

Reproduction session : –

Incubation periods: 2 days

Independent age : at birth

Baby name : –

Baby carrying : –

Population

Population status : Not Evaluated (NE)

NE

DD

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

PHOTO GALLERY

Reference

  1. Khoon, S. 2010. A Field Guide to The Butterflies of Singapore. Ink On Paper Communications, Singapore.
  2. Tan, H. and Khoon, K.S. 2012. Caterpillars of Singapore’s Butterflies. National Park Board, Singapore.
  3. Life History of The Dark Caerulean article 
  4. Jamides bochus Stoll, 1782 article 
  5. Jamides bochus on Wikipedia article