A quick summary about why this butterfly is so special

The threatened Arid Bronze Azure butterfly has two populations - one in Western Australia and one in the Victorian and South Australian Mallee. How did this split come about?

This is a hero ant. The Sugar Ant (Camponotus terebrans) looks after the caterpillars of the Arid Bronze Azure butterfly. And what goes on underground? We think the caterpillar is eating the ant’s babies!

Well, we made it to number seven. But I’m not sure the list of Australian butterflies most likely to go extinct is a list that you want to top.

We’re trying to establish a colony of Sugar Ants so we can observe how this hero ant raises the caterpillars of the Arid Bronze Azure butterfly.

This identification sheet will help you find the “hero ant” that looks after the rare Arid Bronze Azure butterfly.

This identification sheet will help you spot the rare Arid Bronze Azure butterfly.