Aphnaeus hutchinsonii

Aphnaeus hutchinsonii, the Hutchinson's silver spot or Hutchinson's high-flier, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, from Zimbabwe through eastern Africa to Somalia. In South Africa it is found from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

Aphnaeus hutchinsonii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Aphnaeus
Species:
A. hutchinsonii
Binomial name
Aphnaeus hutchinsonii
Trimen, 1887[1]
Synonyms
  • Paraphnaeus hutchinsoni
  • Aphnaeus zanzibarensis Grose-Smith, 1889
  • Aphnaeus drucei Neave, 1904

The wingspan is 29.5–33 mm (1.16–1.30 in) for males and 32–43 mm (1.3–1.7 in) for females. Adults are on wing from September to January with a peak from October to November. There is one generation per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Acacia robusta, Burkea africana, Loranthus and Viscum species. The larvae are attended by ants.

References
  1. Aphnaeus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
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