Small desert blue

Luthrodes galba galba

A small blue with a wingspan of 20-22 mm, resembles the grass jewel but larger and males blue with reduced orange markings. The small desert lives in drier parts of the country, along the coast, in farmland and semi-desert. Host plants are represented by members of the acacia family, such as acacia trees (Acacia spp.) and lagonychium (Lagonychium spp.). This butterfly flies April through July.