Orachrysops ariadne
(Orachrysops ariadne), the Karkloof blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Description The interior wing of the Karklooff blue supports a deep blue color with black veins on the inner margin, while the outer margin is black. The wings underside pattern supports a light brown color with multiple black and white spots. The wingspan is 26–40 mm. O. ariadne is known to be a rapid flier, covering recorded distances of 157 meters in food search. Native range This butterfly is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from a few localities in the 'Mistbelt grasslands' within the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. Only four known colony sites are known to contain extant populations of O. ariadne. Growth There is only one generation per year, as the Karkloof blue is univoltine. The females eggs are laid on the stems and leaves of the indigo shrub, Indigofera woodii var. laxa. The larvae will then begin to hatch after an incubation period of 18 to 30 days. O. ariadne larvae are 1 mm in length with a dark green coloration and long thick setae. They will feed on the leaves of Indigofera, which the species supports a host relationship with before