16 August 2016

Blue Pansy in Dammam – Record by Vinu Mathew

Vinu Mathew found and photographed a Blue Pansy Junonia orithya in Dammam recently and kindly gave me permission to use his hpotos on my website two of which are shown below. The Blue Pansy Butterfly is native to Africa as well as parts of Asia and Australia. The Blue Pansy Butterfly is commonly called as the Blue Pansy in India, whereas in Africa it is called as the Eyed Pansy and in Australia the Blue Argus. The adults occur in open areas, often sitting on bare ground. This species has a stiff flap and glide style of flight and maintains a territory, driving away other butterflies that enter it. The upperside of the forewing for the male is black to dark brown with a whitish sub-apical band, two orange and two blue bars in the cell, and two post-discal eye-spots. The hindwing of the male is brilliant blue with orange post-discal eye-spots. The female is similarly marked but with a much duller hue. Underneath, both sexes are grayish brown with cryptic orange/brown markings and have eye-spots similarly placed as on the upperside.
Blue Pansy

Blue Pansy

Blue Pansy