Z i z e e r i a k a r s a n d r a

D A T A S H E E T

Common Name:

Taxonomy:

Morphology:

Sexual Dimorphism:

Distribution:

Flight time:

Habitat:

Life History:

Voltinism:

Larval hosts:
(all locations)

Adult food sources:
(all locations)

Photos:
(Click to view large)

the Dark Grass Blue                   Photos at the bottom of the page

Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Lycaenidae - Theclinae - Zizeeria - karsandra (Moore,1865)

wingspan - 18-20mm, wing colour - UP purple-blue with darker border in the male, female is brown; UN light brown/grey with series of black spots encircled in white and other brown and white markings on the margins of both wings, eye colour - light brown, proboscis colour - grey, antennae colour - black and white banded, abdomen colour - greyish brown, leg colour - white with black banding near feet, flight - weak and fluttery

yes

Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines

all year depending on location

grassland, sparsly vegetated areas, and urban gardens

¦¦   egg    3 days   ¦¦   instar1    2-3 days   ¦¦   instar2    2-3 days   ¦¦   instar3    2-3 days   ¦¦   instar4    2-3 days   ¦¦
¦¦   instar5    n/a ¦¦   pupa    5-8 days   ¦¦    Total egg-adult 16-23 days.   All times approximate.

multivoltine

Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus tricolor, Amaranthus viridis (Amaranthaceae), Polygonum plebeium (Polygonaceae), Coldenia procumbens (Boraginaceae), Sauropus bacciformis (Euphorbiaceae), Glinus lotoides, Glinus oppositifolius, Mollugo cerviana (Molluginaceae), Tribulus cistoides, Tribulus terrestris (Zygophyllaceae), Geissaspis cristata, Medicago sativa, Melilotus indica, Trifolium alexandrinum, Zornia diphylla, Zornia gibbosa (Fabaceae), Oxalis corniculata (Oxalidaceae), Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)
Actual host plant used depends upon location and availabilty of plant species.

Nectar: Anaphalis bournei, Bidens pilosa, Emilia sonchifolia, Erigeron karvinskianus, Galinsoga parviflora, Parthenium hysterophorus, Taraxacum javanicum, Tridax procumbens, Vernonia cinerea (Asteraceae), Lantana camara (Verbenaceae), Oenothera rosea (Onagraceae), Cyanotis villosa (Commelinaceae), Prinsepia utilis, Prunus cerasoides (Rosaceae), Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae), Jasminum mesnyi (Oleaceae), Oplismenus undulatifolius, Poa annua (Poaceae), Desmodium repandum, Tephrosia purpurea, Trifolium repens (Fabaceae), Gentiana capitata, Gentiana quadrifaria, Swertia chirata (Gentianaceae), Ruta chalepensis (Rutaceae), Boerhavia diffusa (Nyctaginaceae), Rostellularia procumbens (Acanthaceae), Tribulus terrestris (Zygophyllaceae), Leucas indica (Lamiaceae)

Other: mud puddling