Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767)

Lampides boeticus, commonly called the Pea Blue, is a small Lycaenid butterfly seen in India.

Lampides boeticus anamariae Bustillo, 1973 Lampides boeticus boeticoides Stauder, 1925 Lampides boeticus fusca de Sagarra, 1927 Lampides boeticus immarginata Stauder, 1925 Lampides boeticus infuscata Querci, 1932 Lampides boeticus nigrita Stauder, 1925 Lampides boeticus obsoleta Evans, 1925 Lampides boeticus pygmaea Stauder, 1925

All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Wingspan 24–32 mm for males and 24–34 mm for females.

Adults: It is a medium or small (dwarf) sized butterfly. It is shiny purple with two black tornal spots on the upper side of the hind wings. In the males the underside is buff (grayish shades) transverse by white fasciae with two black tornal spots crowned in orange. It has a white tipped tail. Females are as similar as the male but exceptionally bright but upper side is mostly duller, being dark brown with the basal area of the wings having a touch of pale shining blue.

Often found in huge numbers flying very rapidly near pea-plants.

Larvae feed on flowers, seeds and pods of many Fabaceae species, including Medicago, Crotalaria, Polygala, Tephrosia, Astragalus, Sutherlandia, Dolichos, Cytisus, Spartium and Lathyrus species. It has also been recorded on Crotolaria pallida and Colutea istria.

Larvae are occasionally attended by ants in the genera Froggattella, Iridomyrmex or Campanotus.

Common in culivated areas in hills upto 3040 m

Common