Bug FAQBurnished Opal
Chrysoritis chrysaor · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The burnished opal (Chrysoritis chrysaor) is a Lycaenid butterfly found in South Africa, especially in the east. Caterpillars feed on several succulent and woody plants and are attended by Crematogaster liengmei ants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The burnished opal, scientific name Chrysoritis chrysaor, belongs to the Lycaenidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males have a wingspan of about 22 to 27 mm, while females are slightly larger at 23 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in South Africa, especially in the eastern parts of the country.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larvae are tended by Crematogaster liengmei ants while they eat their host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults can be seen flying throughout the year, with the highest numbers in November and February at higher elevations.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult burnished opals most active?
Adults are on the wing all year, but are most common in November and February at higher altitudes.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysoritis_chrysaor
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.