Philiris nitens

Philiris nitens (Grose-Smith, 1898)
(previously known as : Holochila nitens)
Blue Moonbeam
LUCIINI , THECLINAE , LYCAENIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 24 June 2008)

Philiris nitens
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

These Caterpillars are green with a cream dorsal line, cream mottling generally, and dense hairy sides.

(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

They feed on :

Little Cheese Tree ( Glochidion philippicum ),

Brown Macaranga ( Macaranga involucrata ), and

Blush Macaranga ( Macaranga tanarius ),

all from the Spurge plant family ( EUPHORBIACEAE ). The Caterpillars rests under a leaf near the base by a vein, where it is well camouflaged.

(Photos: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The pupa is green with a cream dorsal line and brown patches. Its length is about 1 cm. It is usually attached to the underside of a leaf of its foodplant.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The adult butterflies are brown on top, with a large coloured patch on each wing. For males, this patch is mainly an iridescent blue.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

For females, this patch is largely white.

male, underside
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

Underneath, both sexes are white with black dots around the tornus of each hindwing.

female, underside
(Photo: courtesy of Bob Miller and Ian Hill)

The butterflies have a wingspan of about 2 cms.

The species occurs as two subspecies :

nitens, and

lucina,

both in north Queensland.