Two-spotted Line-blue (Nacaduba biocellata)
NO LOCAL PHOTO AVAILABLE. SEE FIELD GUIDES OR MUSEUM OF VICTORIA BIOINFORMATICS WEBSITE.
Other Common Names: Double-spotted Line-blue, Double Spotted Blue
Family of Butterflies: Lycaenidae (Blues and Coppers)
Tony Morton’s records of Two Spotted Line-blue from the local area (between 2000 to 2013):
Date Location Notes 5-Oct-2002 Vaughan flying round one Wirilda outside house in Vaughn 19-Sep-2003 Vaughan walk 1-Nov-2006 Kalimna Ridge
Other local observations: None
Distribution Across Victoria (from Field 2013): Records from throughout Victoria.
Larval Host Plants (Field 2013): Larvae feed on the flower buds of wattles (Acacia spp.).
Larval association with ants (Field 2013): Larvae often associated with small ants from the Iridomyrmex genus.
Adult Flight Times in Victoria (from Field 2013): It is believed to have almost continuous breeding through the year, with adults being seen in flight in Victoria in all months except June and July.
Conservation Status:
National Butterfly Action Plan (2002): No conservation status Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Not listed
Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Not listed Advisory List of Threatened Victorian Invertebrates (DSE 2009): Not listed
Other Notes: Expected to be moderately common in the Mount Alexander Shire. \
Larvae are well camouflaged, as they look like wattle flowers.
References and further reading:
Braby, M. F. (2004) The Complete Field Guide to the Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
1
Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (2009) Advisory List of Threatened Invertebrate Fauna in Victoria – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Victoria (http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/threatened-species-and- communities/threatened-species-advisory-lists)
Field, R.P. (2013) Butterflies: Identification and Life History. Museum Victoria Publishing, Melbourne.
Sands, D.P.A. and New, T.R. (2002) The Action Plan for Australian Butterflies. Environment Australia, Canberra (http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/action-plan-australian-butterflies)
Museum of Victoria Bioinformatics – Australian Butterflies: The Victorian Fauna http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/butter/
2
Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication