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.
