Australian Ogyris (Lycaenidae) species in collection

[nomad]

I never see any mention of the beautiful Ogyris (Lycaenids) in collections. I believe it was the sight of these often unobtainable butterflies flying around the canopy that sent Mr Wyatt wild in Australia. See

collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/1241/colin-wyatt-butterfly-collecting-australia

I expect today there are restrictions regarding the collecting of these butterflies. When collectors were able, they sought the ant attended pupae.

I have a rough draft of any article regarding the Queensland Barnard family, early collectors of Ogyris.  I have specimen images of most of the species/subspecies mostly from a private collection to be shown. Here is one of my images.

[Deleted]

Never even heard of these before, they are quite stunning. The info I found said these species have about a 40-50 mm wingspan. Does anybody know what the largest Lycaenidae species is? Ogyris must be contenders.

[nomihoudai]

Liphyra brassolis is the largest. Ogyris are not obtainable because nobody is exporting them. I am quiet disappointed after many years of trying. I have only a single pair that was once on eBay.

[cyane]

Ogyris in my own collection :

Row 1 and 2 O amaryllis hewitsoni, rows 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 O amaryllis amaryllis, row 8 O amaryllis meridionalis, row 9 O ianthis (top 4) and O aenone



Rows 1, 2 and 3 O abrota, row 4 O zosine zosine (with one male O zosine typhon at the bottom), row 5 O oroetes, row 6, 7 and 8 O olane, row 8 bottom 4 O barnardi                                                                                                                                                                           


Ogyris genoveva duaringae




Ogyris genoveva gela






Ogyris generally fly very high and fast around tree tops and are difficult to net. The majority of my specimens I have bred. "Bands" of bark are wired tightly onto a tree trunk under the mistletoe food plant. Ogyris larvae seek shelter under these bands, and eventually pupate there.
O genoveva larvae and pupae are found in the nests of Camponotus ants, often in the ground at the base of a tree. However around Sydney they are more usually found in cracks in the bark or under bands, probably because the ground is a little too damp here for their liking.
Claude, few Ogyris find their way to collectors overseas because of our legislation. I haven't kept up to date with it, but when I was trading butterflies some years ago now I was licensed to breed and export some species of Australian butterflies. In order to obtain this license I had to show (on paper) that I had bred each species through generations, including having the adults mate and lay eggs in captivity. So far as I know no one has ever succeeded in breeding Ogyris in captivity like this.

David Hall

[Deleted]

Let's hope Claude didn't fall out of his chair! It's easy to see why they are protected. Lycaenidae behavior in the early stages is quite fascinating, and glad to hear you were able to raise them successfully. You said you had to prove on paper that they were raised in captivity, how were they able to verify this? In the US, most of the time a USDA agent has to come and approve everything in person, and it can be a pain.

Thanks for the info Claude, Liphyra brassolis is in a league of its own! Interesting to note that it is known as the "moth butterfly," although it lacks the iridescent sheen, as can be seen in the blue Ogyris above. But enough about Liphyra, it is veering a little off topic.

[mantisboy]

Here is an Ogyris zosine that came to a light in Port Douglas. That was an exciting find!

Attachments:

[mantisboy]

Here is another one that is likely an Ogyris. It was at Ormiston Gorge in the Outback. It was very territorial, and if it landed in a position that wasn't conducive to photography, I'd just toss up a woodchip near it and it would chase it.

Attachments:

[nomad]

Nov 8, 2016 23:50:19 GMT cyane said:

Claude, few Ogyris find their way to collectors overseas because of our legislation. I haven't kept up to date with it, but when I was trading butterflies some years ago now I was licensed to breed and export some species of Australian butterflies. In order to obtain this license I had to show (on paper) that I had bred each species through generations, including having the adults mate and lay eggs in captivity. So far as I know no one has ever succeeded in breeding Ogyris in captivity like this.

Simply Stunning drawers David. 

[nomad]

Nov 9, 2016 3:43:24 GMT mantisboy said:

Here is an Ogyris zosine that came to a light in Port Douglas. That was an exciting find!

Strange Behaviour indeed. 

[nomad]

Here is a series of both sexes of another species. Private Coll.  Ogyris iphis iphis Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914. Queensland.
A local and rare species.

[nomad]

Another rare and very local species. Private Collection.



Ogyris subterrestris petrina Field 1999. A rare species. Type locality: western Australia, Lake Douglas, 12 km SW of Kalgoorlie. 

As its name suggests the larvae live underground and this species flies lower among Mallee Woodland in arid conditions.

[trehopr1]

Very striking these little fellows Ogyris are .... Fantastic holdings you have Cyane of these beauties. Must have taken some time to acquire such variety and numbers due to their life history and habits ! Bravo.

[nomad]

Nov 8, 2016 22:59:44 GMT nomihoudai said:

Liphyra brassolis is the largest

[Paul K]

Nov 9, 2016 8:14:23 GMT nomad said:

Nov 9, 2016 3:43:24 GMT mantisboy said:

Here is an Ogyris zosine that came to a light in Port Douglas. That was an exciting find!

Strange Behaviour indeed. 

I have found few Lycaenidae specimens in Thailand and South America that came to light, most likely freshly emerged butterflies .

Paul

[nomihoudai]

Nov 9, 2016 1:42:51 GMT @sombra said:

Let's hope Claude didn't fall out of his chair!

I didn't, I have seen these pictures before in some other thread. I know that the biggest issue are the legal constraints. Hopefully I will visit the museums in Australia one of these days and then just photograph anything I need.