Thestor rileyi

Thestor rileyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Thestor
Species:	T. rileyi
Binomial name
Thestor rileyi Pennington, 1956[1]

Riley’s Skolly (Thestor rileyi) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the West Cape, from the Helderberg and Paarl Mountain to the Kouebokkeveldberg, Piketberg and Paardeberg mountain ranges.

The wingspan is 24–36 mm for males and 32.5–41 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late November to early January with a peak in December. There is one generation per year.^[2]

Larvae have been found in the nests of the Pugnacious Ant Anoplepsis custodiens, but the larval food is unknown.

References

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