About Aloeides aranda (Wallengren, 1857)
Aloeides aranda, commonly known as the Aranda copper, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Lycaenidae. It is distributed across most of South Africa, with the exceptions of high montane forests and arid western regions of the country. It can also be found in Zimbabwe. Males of this species have a wingspan of 20–29 mm, which is 0.79–1.14 inches, while females have a wingspan of 27–31 mm, which is 1.1–1.2 inches. In warm areas, adult Aloeides aranda are active from September through April, with population peaks in October and February. In cooler areas, adults have two generations a year, active in October and February. The larvae of Aloeides aranda feed on species in the genus Aspalathus, which is a genus of legumes. The larvae are attended by ants of the species Pheidole capensis.
