''Ogyris idmo'', the large brown azure, is a

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

in the family

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfl ...

. It is found in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, where it is found in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

and southern

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

is about 50 mm. The upper surface of the wings of the males is dark purple with narrow dark margins. The female is bright iridescent blue with broad black margins and a white spot near the tip of the forewing. The underside of both sexes is pale brown. The larvae live in the nest of various sugar ant species, including '' Camponotus nigriceps'' and '' Camponotus terebrans''. They possibly feed on the immature ants. They are off white, with a dark head. Pupation takes place in the ants nest.Australian Insects
/ref>

Subspecies

* ''Ogyris idmo idmo'' (Western Australia) * ''Ogyris idmo halmaturia'' Tepper, 1890 (Kangaroo Island) * ''Ogyris idmo waterhouseri'' Bethune-Baker, 1905 (western Victoria)

References

Butterflies described in 1862 Arhopalini Butterflies of Australia {{Theclinae-stub