Other Common Name

Diggles’ Blue

Notes

I didn’t see this butterfly in the wild until 2026.  Al and Mark kindly provided a pupa, reared from a larva found in the Cairns area, which hatched successfully a couple of days after a received it. Unfortunately the butterfly would not op[en its wings, which is a shame as the upperside was very colourful.

I have seen a couple of digglesii larvae in the wild, with Bob Miller at the side of the road at Mareeba; they were feeding on a mistletoe growing in a small Callistemon tree. I’ve also found them near Chillagoe.

I finally saw an adult at Chillagoe in February 2026; I was checking a mistletoe in the hope of finding an Ogyris amaryllis as I’d seen one flying around. I was over the moon to see this digglesii instead, especially as she settled right in front of me. I was even happy about the missing chunk of her hind wing as it shows some of her lovely blue upperside.

Sightings

Chillagoe – February 2026

Links

• The Complete Field Guide to Australian Butterflies (2nd edition) by Michael F. Braby
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Bob’s Butterflies
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility
• Butterflies and Other Invertebrates
• iNaturalist