Udara blackburni

Koa butterfly
Mating pair
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Udara
Species:
U. blackburni
Binomial name
Udara blackburni
(Tuely, 1878)
Synonyms
  • Holochila blackburni Tuely, 1878
  • Lycaena blackburni Meyrick, 1899
  • Candalides blackburni Gruenberg, 1922
  • Vaga blackburni Zimmerman, 1958

Udara blackburni, the Koa butterfly, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae that is endemic to Hawaiʻi. It is also known as Blackburn's butterfly, Blackburn's bluet, Hawaiian blue or green Hawaiian blue.

The wingspan is 22–29 mm.

The larvae feed on Acacia species (especially Acacia koa), Pithecellobium, Samanea saman, Perottetia sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa and Pipturus albidus.[1]

Udara blackburni is one of only two butterfly species that are native to Hawai'i, the other being Vanessa tameamea. These butterflies have wings that are blue on the upper side and green on the under side.[2]

  1. ^ Zimmerman, Elwood C. (1958). Insects of Hawaii, Volume 7: Macrolepidoptera. University of Hawaii Press. p. 491-497.
  2. ^ "Koa Butterfly". hbs.bishopmuseum.org. Retrieved 2022-02-20.