Iolaus trimeni

Iolaus trimeni, the Trimen's sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, south-eastern Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. In South Africa it is found from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North West province.

Trimen's sapphire
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Iolaus
Species:
I. trimeni
Binomial name
Iolaus trimeni
Synonyms
  • Jolaus trimeni Wallengren, 1875
  • Iolaus anesius Hulstaert, 1924

The wingspan is 34–40 mm for males and 36–42 mm for females. Adults are on the wing year round in warmer areas. In the cooler western part of its range there is a peak from September to January.[2]

The larvae feed on Tapinanthus oleifolius, T. quinquangulus, T. rubromarginatus and T. subulatus.

References
  1. Iolaus 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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