''Lepidochrysops methymna'', the monkey blue, is a

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

of the family

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly ...

. It is found in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan ...

is 35–40 mm for males and 33–42 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to January, but it is most common in November and December. The larvae feed on ''

Selago fruticosa ''Selago fruticosa'' is a species of plant in the family Scrophulariaceae. It is endemic to South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by o ...

'', ''

Selago serrata ''Selago'' is a genus of plants in the family Scrophulariaceae, closely related to ''Scrophularia'' and ''Verbascum''. It contains around 190 species, mostly in southern Africa; two are listed on the IUCN Red List: * ''Selago lepida'' Hilliard * ...

'' and ''

Selago spuria ''Selago'' is a genus of plants in the family Scrophulariaceae, closely related to ''Scrophularia'' and ''Verbascum''. It contains around 190 species, mostly in southern Africa; two are listed on the IUCN Red List: * ''Selago lepida'' Hilliard * ...

''. Third and later

instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'', "form", "likeness") is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each moult (''ecdysis''), until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow o ...

larvae feed on the brood of ''

Camponotus maculatus ''Camponotus maculatus'' is a species of carpenter ant (genus ''Camponotus''). Subspecies *''Camponotus maculatus foveolatus'' Stitz, 1925 - Philippines *''Camponotus maculatus maculatus'' Fabricius, 1782 - Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Afri ...

'' ants.

Subspecies

* ''Lepidochrysops methymna methymna'' (Cape Peninsula) * ''Lepidochrysops methymna dicksoni'' Tite, 1964 (Tygerberg Hills in the Western Cape)

References

* Butterflies described in 1862 Lepidochrysops Endemic butterflies of South Africa {{Polyommatini-stub