Alaena margaritacea

Alaena margaritacea
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Alaena
Species:	A. margaritacea
Binomial name
Alaena margaritacea Eltringham, 1929

The Wolkberg zulu^[1] (Alaena margaritacea) is a species of zulu butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from grassy slopes adjoining afromontane forest in the Haenertsburg area of the Limpopo Province near the Wolkberg.

It is under severe threat from alien tree plantations as only two colonies are known to exist.

The wingspan is 24–27 mm for males and 28–30 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late December to early January. There is one generation per year.^[2]

The larvae feed on Cyanobacteria species.

References

1. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005.
2. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.

• Gimenez Dixon, M. 1996. Alaena margaritacea. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Hope for endangered sa butterfly species Downloaded on 31 July 2007.