Iolaus sidus

Iolaus sidus, the red-line sapphire or red-line sapphire blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from South Africa to Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and then to Kenya and Uganda. In South Africa it is found from the coastal woodland in the Eastern Cape to Tongaland and Bedford, the thorn belt of KwaZulu-Natal and then to Swaziland and Mpumalanga.

Iolaus sidus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Iolaus
Species:
I. sidus
Binomial name
Iolaus sidus
Trimen, 1864[1]
Synonyms
  • Epamera sidus (Trimen, 1864)

The wingspan is 28–31 mm for males and 29-32.5 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with peaks in summer.[2]

The larvae feed on Moquiniella rubra, Tieghemia quinquenervia, Tapinanthus oleifolius, Tapinanthus kraussianus, Tapinanthus brunneus and Tapinanthus subulatus.

References
  1. Iolaus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  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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