Aberrant Bushblue(Arhopala abseus mackwoodi)

Aberrant Bushblue is one of the rarest butterflies of Sri Lanka though scattered records available from all elevations of the country. Here are some comments made by three pioneer authors on Sri Lankan butterfly on distribution of the Aberrant Bushblue.

 “I have never taken this personally, though, when fishing at Ambawella(6000ft) a small Amblypodia, settled close to me, which was either this or a new species. It is not very rare in the Hills above Ratnapura, and has been taken in Colombo” – Ormiston W. The Butterflies of Ceylon 1924

“It has not been captured for many years now, but Ormiston(1924) records…….” – Woodhouse L.G.O. The Butterfly fauna of Ceylon 1950

“This is a very rare butterfly, the only specimens I have seen being in the British Museum (Natural History)” – D’Abrera, Bernard, The butterflies of Ceylon -1998

Its only known larval food plant in Sri Lanka is Vateria copallifera

*Above picture was taken at one of the remaining wet lowland forest patch of Gampaha district. It is highlighting the necessity of immediate actions to conserve these places with high biodiversity.