Hypolycaena danis explained

Hypolycaena danis, the black and white tit or orchid flash, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Maluku Province in Indonesia as well as the New Guinea region and north-eastern Australia.^[1]

The wingspan is about 30 mm. The hindwings have blue edges with black spots and two tails. The underside of the wings is similar, but the pale areas are yellowish.^[2]

The larvae feed on Vanda species and Dendrobium bigibbum,^[3] Dendrobium canaliculatum, Cattleya, Renanthera, Phalaenopsis and Phalaenanthe species.

Pupation takes place in an off-white pupa, which is attached to the stem of the host plant.

Subspecies

• H. d. danis (Bachan, Halmahera, Morotai)
• H. d. danisoides de Nicéville, 1897 (Kai Islands)
• H. d. deripha Hewitson, 1878 (Aru, New Guinea, Louisade Archipelago)
• H. d. milo Grose-Smith (New Britain)
• H. d. turneri (Waterhouse, 1903) (Cape York to Cairns)

Notes and References

1. https://www.pensoft.net/inc/journals/download.php?fileId=2461&fileTable=J_GALLEYS On Hypolycaena from Maluku, Indonesia, including the first description of male Hypolycaena asahi (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)
2. Web site: Australian Insects . 2011-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100626110704/http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/lyca/dan.html . 2010-06-26 . dead .
3. http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/lycaenidae/theclinae/hypolycaena/index.html Hypolycaena