Christopher Willis and David Edge outline the reproductive behaviour of Verloren Valei’s celebrated endemic butterfly.
Mating pair of Dullstroom Blue (formerly Warren’s Blue) (Photograph: Christopher Willis)
Discovered by RT Warren and his family in 1988-89, and named in their honour, Warren’s Blue remains confined to the Verloren Valei Nature Reserve, although it is hoped it is also present on surrounding farms.
This 2015 article examines the life cycle of this rare butterfly. Butterflies’ reproductive behaviour is typically very complex, and remains unclear or even unknown for many species. However, thanks to in-field observations by the authors, there is greater clarity about this butterfly’s intricate feeding habits and love life.
Warren’s Blue was renamed Dullstroom Blue in 2020.
