Azanus ubaldus (Cramer, 1782)


Azanus ubaldus: Male (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Male (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Male (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Male (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Male (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Female (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Oviposition on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Oviposition on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Oviposition on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Ovum on Vachellia farnesiana (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Hatching larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Hatching larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Hatched larva with empty egg shell (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Hatched larva with empty egg shell (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Hatched larva with empty egg shell (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva in first instar (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Young larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Young larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (e.o. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Half-grown larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Larva (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Pupa (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, larva in mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Pupa (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, larva in mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Pupa (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, larva in mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Pupa (e.l. rearing, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, larva in mid-December 2016) [S] Azanus ubaldus: Vachellia farnesiana, an important host plant on Gran Canaria [N] Azanus ubaldus: Vachellia farnesiana, an important host plant on Gran Canaria [N] Azanus ubaldus: Larval habitat (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Larval habitat (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N] Azanus ubaldus: Larval habitat (Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Barranco Arguineguin, mid-December 2016) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae live on flowers and flower buds of especially acacias and related taxa (Mimosoideae, family Fabaceae). I recorded the species on the neophytic Vachellia farnesiana (from the Americas) in Gran Canaria.

Habitat:
Azanus ubaldus inhabits especially arid and semiarid regions with acacias. In Gran Canaria it settles especially in barrancos near the coast in the southern half of the island, but also in fallow land or rarely managed green spaces.

Life cycle:
The eggs are deposited on flower buds which are developed to approximately one third to two thirds. The quite mobile larvae live outside the flower buds and flowers where they can be concealed a bit by the stamina. They mostly rest on the underside of the buds near the stem. Pupation is expected to occur under stones on the ground, perhaps also on the bark. The butterflies supposedly occur year-round, but probably with drought induced breaks. Females are easily observed when egg-laying. Especially against noon the males patrol the acacia bushes in rapid flight and are thus only hardly watched despite of their not rare but usually only very short breaks on twig etc.

Endangerment factors:
The Canarian sites suffer from human pressure (overbuilding, mass tourism, agriculture e.g. bananas, parks). On the other hand the neophytic host plants still expand. Thus a risk assessment is not easy.

Remarks:
Azanus ubaldus occurs in vast, at least semiarid areas of Africa and S-Asia. It is also known from the eastern Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria).

Literature:
Schurian, K. (2016): Beobachtungen zur Biologie und Ökologie von Azanus ubaldus (Cramer, 1782) auf den Kanarischen Inseln (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).- Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N.F. 37 (1):41-46.
English title: Schurian, K. (2016): Observations about the biology, behavior and ecology of Azanus ubaldus (Cramer, 1782) on the Canary Islands (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).- Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N.F. 37 (1):41-46. In German.