Purple Oak-blue

Purple Oak-blue, Arhopala eupolis

Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Pioneer Valley Showgrounds, Finch Hatton, west of Mackay.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Pioneer Valley Showgrounds, Finch Hatton, west of Mackay.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Pioneer Valley Showgrounds, Finch Hatton, west of Mackay.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala eupolis), photographed at Cape Hillsborough National Park, near Mackay.

Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Cape Hillsborough National Park, near Mackay.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Cape Hillsborough National Park, near Mackay.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Bustard Downs, Mount Carbine.
Purple Oak-blue
(Arhopala centaurus), photographed at Bustard Downs, Mount Carbine.

Purple Oak-blue
Arhopala centaurus. Similar to a miniature Ulysses the upper wings being a brilliant purple, sorry I couldn't show that here but it seems they seldom open their wings on perching. Interestingly they only lay their eggs on trees that are inhabited with green-ants, it seems the ants protect the caterpillars. There were hundreds of these butterflies on the hillside at the northern end of Cape Hillsborough Beach, near Mackay.