Chrysoritis thysbe


Chrysoritis thysbe, the opal copper or common opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

Description

The wingspan is 24–32 mm for males and 23–35 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with peaks in October and March.

Life cycle

The larvae feed on Chrysanthemoides incana, C. monilifera, Osteospermum polygaloides, Lebeckia plukenetiana, Aspalathus, Zygophyllum and Thesium species.
The pupa of C. thysbe osbecki is found on the trunk of various plants like Tylecodon paniculatus, Roepera and Thesium species, all attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants, similar to ''C. thysbe psyche.''

Subspecies

  • Chrysoritis thysbe
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. osbecki
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. psyche
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. bamptoni
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. schloszae
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. whitei
  • Chrysoritis thysbe subsp. ''mithras''