Oraidium barberae

Oraidium barberae, the dwarf blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In South Africa it is found from the Western Cape, north to Namaqualand, the Northern Cape and east to the Eastern Cape and the Free State as well as northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Oraidium barberae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Oraidium
Species:
O. barberae
Binomial name
Oraidium barberae
(Trimen, 1868)[1]
Synonyms
  • Lycaena barberae Trimen, 1868
  • Brephidium barberae

The wingspan is 10–15 mm for males and 12–18 mm for females, the smallest of all known butterflies. Adults are on wing continuously depending on the rainfall, with peaks usually occurring from September to November and from February to April.[2]

The larvae probably feed on Exomis axyrioides.

References
  1. Oraidium 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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