Notes on the myrmecophilous early stages of two species of Thestor Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from South Africa

Published source details Claassens A. & Heath A. (1997) Notes on the myrmecophilous early stages of two species of Thestor Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from South Africa. Metamorphosis, 8, 56-61.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Rear declining species in captivity Action Link

Rear declining species in captivity

A study in 1996–1997 in a captive setting in the Western Cape, South Africa (Claassens & Heath 1997) reported that wild-caught final instar Cape Peninsula butterfly Thestor yildizae caterpillars placed in an artificial pugnacious ant Anoplolepsis custodiens nest successfully pupated and eclosed, but captive-hatched first instar Cape Peninsula and Riley’s skolly butterfly Thestor rileyi caterpillars placed next to an artificial ant nest did not survive to pupation. Three wild-caught final instar Cape Peninsula butterfly caterpillars were placed inside an artificial ant nest, were fed by ants with oral fluids, and survived to adulthood. However, first instar caterpillars of Cape Peninsula and Riley’s skolly butterflies (numbers not provided), which hatched from eggs laid in captivity and were placed next to the artificial ant nest, were not observed being fed by ants, and died before pupation. Final instar Cape Peninsula caterpillars were collected from the wild and three were placed inside an artificial pugnacious ant nest attached to a glass arena. Adult female Cape Peninsula and Riley’s skolly butterflies were also collected in the wild and put in containers to oviposit (numbers not given). Some of the hatching first instar caterpillars were placed in the arena next to the nest. In both experiments ant feeding behaviour, and caterpillar development times and survival were observed.

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)