​

Located​

The Western Jewel is native to Western Australia. In the 1800s, "the Western Jewel would have been commonly seen in large, glittering (kaleidoscopes) flocks along the coastal plain from Perth to Carnarvon. Over time, however, much of the original habitat of the Western Jewel has been sadly destroyed by urban & rural development which has resulted in a (critical) decline in numbers." Yardworks Wordpress

​

 Appearance 

The Western Jewel is a small butterfly with a wingspan of approximately 26 mm. The male is iridescent blue, with a border of black.  The female is brown suffused with purple.  The underside of both sexes is orange-yellow with iridescent green bands. Earth Watch Institute

​

 Diet 

The Western Jewel's diet includes Rattlepods (Daviesia divaricata), Green Stinkwood (Jacksonia sternbergiana) and white stemmed wattle (Acacia xanthina). Earth Watch Institute

 

"The larvae of the Western Jewel fed on a number of plants including the pea flowered shrub Jacksonia stembergiana and the wattle Acaicia xanthina, but only if there is an ant nest at the base." Yardworks Wordpress

​

Symbiosis

The larvae of the Western Jewel Butterfly and the Crematogaster perthensis ant share a symbiotic relationship from which each species benefits. The adult butterfly will lay her eggs on the lower stems of a host plant that has an ants nest at its roots. When the larvae emerge from the eggs they begin to feed and start excreting a sweet liquid which attracts the ants. Much like a dairy farmer cares for his/her cows, the ants tend to the larvae. "The larvae shelter in the ants' nest during the day and emerge to feed at night, accompanied by the ants.

 

This relationship is a mutualistic one: the butterfly larvae received shelter and possibly protection from predators, whilst the ants feed  on the sugary liquid secreted by glands on the backs of the butterfly larvae." Yardworks Wordpress

​