Common Hedge Blue (Acytolepis puspa) lives in tropical forests across Southeast Asia. It feeds on algae and leaves.
Fascinating facts about the Common Hedge Blue
- The common hedge blue was first described by Thomas Horsfield in 1828, giving it almost two centuries of scientific recognition. It belongs to the lycaenids or blues family, a group of small butterflies. Its range includes Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Yunnan, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Borneo and New Guinea, showing a broad South- and Southeast-Asian distribution.
- Acytolepis puspa serves as the type species for its genus, anchoring the definition of Acytolepis. Before its current placement it was known under the name Lycaenopsis puspa, reflecting earlier taxonomic work. Being the type species means that the genus description is based on the characteristics of this particular butterfly.
- Its distribution stretches from Peninsular India through the Himalayas to New Guinea, covering more than a dozen countries across South and Southeast Asia. The species is recorded in Peninsular India, the Himalayas, Assam, the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo, Sulawesi and New Guinea, illustrating its wide ecological tolerance.
- The caterpillars of the common hedge blue are not picky, feeding on a remarkably diverse range of host plants. Recorded food plants include Glochidion fortunei, several Rhododendron species, Distylium racemosum and a suite of roses such as Rosa multiflora, Rosa wichuraina and Rosa centifolia.
- Within the species there are at least twenty recognised subspecies. These forms are distinguished chiefly by how wide the black borders on the wings are and by subtle shifts in the blue colour, which can even approach white in some.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia
HabitatTropical forests
DietAlgae and leaves
About the Common Hedge Blue
In the warm, sun-drenched meadows, the Common Hedge Blue danced across the landscape, its iridescent wings beating at a hypnotic pace as it flitted from flower to flower, sipping nectar with an insatiable hunger. With each delicate touch, it transferred the essence of one bloom to another, weaving an intricate web of life that bound the ecosystem together. As it soared, its sky-blue wings glimmered like shards of heaven, a fleeting glimpse of beauty that left onlookers entranced and yearning for more.
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