Plumbago Blue
Leptotes plinius
Identification: Wingspan 25 mm. Male - blue-grey above with narrow brown edges. Female - mostly dark brown above with white patches and a blue wing base. Underside of both sexes (pictured) has a bold pattern of dark blotches and stripes.
Habitat and Range: Open forest and woodland. Eastern Australia from north of Cooktown, Qld, to Wollongong, NSW; isolated inland records. Also widespread from India, through Indonesia to New Guinea and Solomon Is.
Notes: Rarely found far from Plumbago plants, including the common garden ornamental, Plumbago auriculata. The flattened green larva feeds on buds and flowers.