Lesser Grass Blue

Natural history and identification

The lesser grass blue is a small butterfly native to a broad region of Asia and the Pacific. University of Hawaiʻi researchers reported its establishment in Waikīkī in 2008. That report documents the Hawaiian introduction history; it is not itself the evidence for the later Kauaʻi record. The two island histories should be kept distinct.

Kauaʻi occurrence and evidence

Atlas occurrence category: Present. The Kauaʻi record is classified as “Present”. Its cited evidence source is Matsunaga et al. 2019 alien arthropod update.

Account coverage

Published species details have been added. A complete Kauaʻi-specific account of identification, habitat, feeding, reproduction, and population trend is not yet established by the sources linked here.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Zizina otis

Common names

Lesser Grass Blue

Family

Lycaenidae

Order

Lepidoptera

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not assessed

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis) belongs to Lycaenidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.

Sources and further reading

• Matsunaga et al. 2019 alien arthropod update
• Natural history and identification — species source