Lepidochrysops pephredo

Lepidochrysops pephredo
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Lepidochrysops
Species:	L. pephredo
Binomial name
	Lepidochrysops pephredo; (Trimen, 1889)
Synonyms
	Lycaena pephredo Trimen, 1889; Cupido pephredo; Neochrysops pephredo;

The Estcourt Blue (Lepidochrysops pephredo) is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known from the grassy hills of the KwaZulu-Natal midlands.

The wingspan is 32–38 mm (1.3–1.5 in) for males and 36–40 mm (1.4–1.6 in) for females. Adults are on wing from October to November. There is one generation per year.^[1]

The larvae feed on Becium grandiflorum. Third and later instar larvae feed on the brood of Camponotus niveosetus ants.

References

^ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.

Gimenez Dixon, M. 1996. Lepidochrysops pephredo*2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Accessed31 July 2007

External links

Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 65 k

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[1] Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.

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