Butterfly country

We went to see a garden this morning which was very special. The owner is a TV gardening presenter of great renown in South Australia.

It was bug paradise, it really was. I've never seen so many butterflies - it was amazing. Lots of blue banded bees too, and wasps, and different species of hover flies. I loved it.

This is a two-spotted line-blue (Nacaduba biocellata biocellata) - a tiny little butterfly which I've never seen before.

Here's the info:

Also known as: Double-spotted Line-blue or Blue-spotted Line-blue
Abundance in Adelaide area: Common
Flight: Throughout the year
Wingspan: m 17 mm; f 17 mm
Mature larva length: 8 mm
This widespread species is seen from time to time in suburban Adelaide. It is attracted to the buds of Wattle trees, its favoured caterpillar food. The Two-spotted Line-blue can be encouraged into your garden by growing local South Australian acacias.

I love the way these critters are always described as "common" in the literature. It depends what you mean by common I suppose, but I do know that the butterfly population was decimated during the drought, but they seem to be coming back stronger and stronger every year.