Axiocerses punicea explained

Axiocerses punicea, the rainforest scarlet or Punic scarlet, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[1] The habitat consists of forests.

Adults are attracted to flowering shrubs. They are on wing year round.

The larvae feed on Ximenia caffra.

Subspecies

• Axiocerses punicea punicea (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi)
• Axiocerses punicea cruenta (Trimen, 1894) (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Aphnaeini (part 3) . 2012-07-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022558/http://atbutterflies.com/downloads/lycaenidae_aphnaeini_3.doc . 2016-03-04 . dead .