Jamides bochus (Stoll, 1782)
Dark Cerulean
(previously known as Lycaena aleuas)
POLYOMMATINI,   POLYOMMATINAE,   LYCAENIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

The Caterpillars of this species are green and covered in fine hairs. The caterpillars have been found feeding on :

  • Moulmein rosewood (Millettia peguensis, FABACEAE), and
  • Sokram (Xylia dolabrifornis, FABACEAE).

    Jamides bochus
    Male upper surface
    (Photo: courtesy of Alan Cassidy, Thailand)

    The forewings of the males are blue on top with a large black area around the wingtip. The hindwings are blue with a pale area along the hind margin.

    Jamides bochus
    Female upper surface
    (Photo: courtesy of Alan Cassidy, Thailand)

    The females on top are dark brown with some blue areas.

    Jamides bochus
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Indra Bone, Christmas Island)

    Underneath, both sexes are fawn with arcs of white markings under all four wings. Each hindwings also each have a orange-ringed black spot underneath beside the short white-tipped black tail.

    Various subspecies occur across Asia, including

  • Nepal<
  • Singapore,
  • Sulawesi,

    and in particular subspecies bochus has been found on

  • Christmas Island,

    which is an Australian island, but the species has not actually been found on mainland Australia.


    Further reading :

    Caspar Stoll,
    Papillons exotiques,
    in Pieter Cramer:
    De uitlandsche kapellen, voorkomende in de drie waereld,
    Volume 3 (1782), p. 146, and also Plate 274, figs C, D.


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    (written 25 May 2026)