Chrysoritis oreas

Chrysoritis oreas, the Drakensberg copper or Drakensberg daisy copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in montane grassland in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills.

Drakensberg copper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. oreas
Binomial name
Chrysoritis oreas
(Trimen, 1891)
Synonyms
  • Zeritis oreas Trimen, 1891

The wingspan is 21–23 mm for males and 22–24 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late September to mid-November. There is one generation per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Thesium species. They are attended to by Myrmicaria nigra ants.

References
  1. Armstrong, A.J. (2020). "Chrysoritis oreas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T4826A168302228. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.


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