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Thread: Resident Butterfly on my Lantana camara

  1. #1
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    Default Resident Butterfly on my Lantana camara

    I think this should be a Pygmy Grass Blue (Zizula hylax).

    This species have been attracted to the Lantana camara in front of my house ever since I planted the plant years ago.

    Cheong Weng Chun
    Location: Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
    Website: http://www.nature2pixel.com
    Email: wengchun@gmail.com

  2. #2
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    Yes, that's a Pygmy Grass Blue. Lantana is one of the caterpillar host plants of this species, and that's why the butterfly is attracted to it. The adults also feed on the nectar from the flowers.
    Khew SK
    Butterflies of Singapore BLOG
    Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try

  3. #3
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    You got it right. I remember the female always oviposits on the Lantana flowerheads, but I have never seen the cats anywhere.

    TL Seow

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Psyche View Post
    You got it right. I remember the female always oviposits on the Lantana flowerheads, but I have never seen the cats anywhere.

    TL Seow
    on the flower? ok. will search carefully. I just trimmed the plant this morning and throw all the rest. probably along with the cats.
    Cheong Weng Chun
    Location: Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
    Website: http://www.nature2pixel.com
    Email: wengchun@gmail.com

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Commander View Post
    Yes, that's a Pygmy Grass Blue. Lantana is one of the caterpillar host plants of this species, and that's why the butterfly is attracted to it. The adults also feed on the nectar from the flowers.
    thanks for the confirmation. i wonder why other species doesn't come to this plant in front of my house except for the Pygmy Grass Blue.
    Cheong Weng Chun
    Location: Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
    Website: http://www.nature2pixel.com
    Email: wengchun@gmail.com

  6. #6
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    We've noticed that the favourite Lantana that attracts more butterflies than the others, is the orange-red variety. The white and yellow ones attract the least, whilst the pink ones are not as good. So if you want to grow Lantana to attract butts, go for the orange-red ones.

    Also, the small-leafed cultivars are virtually useless. Go for the big-leafed Lantanas.
    Khew SK
    Butterflies of Singapore BLOG
    Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Commander View Post
    We've noticed that the favourite Lantana that attracts more butterflies than the others, is the orange-red variety. The white and yellow ones attract the least, whilst the pink ones are not as good. So if you want to grow Lantana to attract butts, go for the orange-red ones.

    Also, the small-leafed cultivars are virtually useless. Go for the big-leafed Lantanas.
    Well, that's what I have planted. orange-red flowers and the leafs are big too. I'm planning to collect a few flowering plants. Let's see if I'm successful attracting more species.
    Cheong Weng Chun
    Location: Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
    Website: http://www.nature2pixel.com
    Email: wengchun@gmail.com

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by wengchun View Post
    on the flower? ok. will search carefully. I just trimmed the plant this morning and throw all the rest. probably along with the cats.
    It lays eggs on the small unopened flower buds.

    TL Seow

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Psyche View Post
    It lays eggs on the small unopened flower buds.

    TL Seow
    Yes, I collected it once but I gave up searching for it when I want to photograph it. It is very tiny.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Commander View Post
    Also, the small-leafed cultivars are virtually useless. Go for the big-leafed Lantanas.
    Have to disagree here. My small leafed Lantana is a magnet for many species, including most of the Crows, Autumn Leaf, Catopsillia species, Cephrenes Potanthus, Suastus, Pelopidas sps and Dryas iulia, etc, etc.

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