De rerum: an acknowlegement and explanation.
INDEX: Linnaean

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Tuxentius melaena



These are the Black Pie on chrysanthemums in our garden. It is very similar to the White Pie, but is more common here. It can be recognised from the latter in that the black bands extending from the costal margin of the hind wing underside are less evenly spaced. The genus was established by Larsen as recently as 1982 from the type species Lycaena melaena Trimen 1887. Both these species (together with Zintha and Tarucus sybaris) share the food plant Ziziphus sp. 

I have added more pictures. Those below taken in the KZN Botanical Gardens, nectaring on a Persicaria.



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