Fringed Heath Blue
Neolucia agricola
Apperance: Very small. Upperside uniformly brown, underside light brown with black, brown and white markings and characteristic, black, v-shaped marks on the hind wing. Edges of wings with white and brown fringe.
Wingspan: 2 cm
Season: 1 generation in spring and summer.
Range: Temperate regions of QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, WA and TAS.
Habitat: Heathland and woodland.
Notes
The Fringed Heath Blue is one of Australia’s smallest and most inconspicuous butterflies. The upperside is uniformly brown, whereas the underside shows a complex pattern of black, brown and white markings and patches. A few similar species can be found in montane areas of NSW, ACT, VIC and TAS. However, the Fringed Heath Blue can easily be identified by the two v-shaped black marks on the underside of the hind wing.
The Fringed Heath Blue can be found throughout the temperate regions of Australia, where it is generally common in heathland and woodland from the coast up to about 1500 m in the mountains. The populations of WA and TAS form two separate subspecies, occidens and insulana, respectively, although the differences between these and the nominate subspecies are minor, with the underside markings of Neolucia agricola subsp. occidens often being less distinct.
Additional Photos
Neolucia agricola subsp. agricola
Neolucia agricola subsp. occidens
