Aloeides pallida

The Giant Copper (Aloeides pallida) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa.

The wingspan is 30–39 mm for males and 34–45 mm females. Adults are on wing from October to early January or as early as August for the nominate subspecies. There is one generation per year.^[2]

The larvae of ssp. pallida and jonathani feed on Aspalathus species. The larvae of ssp. grandis are fed by trophallaxis by Lepisota capensis ants. They also feed on the eggs of these ants.

Subspecies

• Aloeides pallida pallida (West Cape to East Cape and north to the Orange Free State)
• Aloeides pallida grandis Tite & Dickson, 1968 (mountains above Paarl and Franschhoek north to Gydo Mountain and east to Garcia’s Pass)
• Aloeides pallida littoralis Tite & Dickson, 1968 (coastal fynbos from Hermanus to Knysna in the West Cape)
• Aloeides pallida jonathani Pringle, 1987 (montane fynbos in the Kammanassie Mountains in the West Cape)
• Aloeides pallida juno Pringle, 1994 (Fynbos in the East Cape)
• Aloeides pallida liversidgei Pringle, 1994 (Baviaanskloof Mountains in the East Cape)

References

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