Sinai Baton Blue

The female butterfly lays about 20–30 eggs in spring, a day after mating, on the young buds of its host plant, Sinai thyme (Thymus decussatus). After an incubation period of a few days, the eggs hatch into small larvae which feed on the buds and flowers of Sinai thyme. These larvae make an appeasement relationship with one type of ant (Lepisiota obtusa). The larva has two organs that it uses in its relationship with ants; the dorsal nectary organ (which secretes droplets of simple sugars and amino acids for this ant species) and the tentacular organ (which produces volatile secretions that attract and alert attendant ants if a caterpillar is alarmed). However, larvae are also heavily preyed upon by another species of ant, Crematogaster aegyptiaca. This ant is very influential to the local distribution of the butterfly because in areas where it is found, no butterflies survive. Larval development takes about 21 days. On reaching full size, larvae descend to the bottom of the thyme plant and pupate. The pupae spend the whole autumn and winter in their cocoons, and when the temperature rises in late spring (during April to June), the adults emerge and males begin searching for females. The whole life cycle of this butterfly depends upon the Sinai thyme. This plant is also rare and localized to this small area of the world. …