Spalgis lemolea

Spalgis lemolea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Spalgis
Species: S. lemolea
Binomial name
Spalgis lemolea
Druce, 1890[1]
Synonyms
  • Spalgis latimarginata Sharpe, 1890
  • Spalgis s-signata Holland, 1890

Spalgis lemolea, the Lemolea Harvester or African Apefly, is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, from Gabon to Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, northern Zimbabwe and Botswana.[2] The habitat consists of forests and dense savanna (Guinea savanna and Miombo woodland), as well as thick riverine bush.

Adults are attracted to water and fresh as well as dry bird droppings.

The larvae are broad and slug-like and are hairy and either black or dark grey in colour. They resemble the coccids upon which they feed. These include Dactylopius (including Dactylopius longispinus, Dactylopius virgatus var. madagascariensis), Pseudococcus, Phenacoccus, Planococcoides, Ferrisiana and Planococcus species.

Subspecies

References

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