The average wingspan for the blue pansy butterfly is only four cm. The wing patterns of these butterflies is quite extensive. The male’s forewings start black and then go to blue with a white and brown border with orange-yellow eyespots. The secondary wings similar with less black. Females look similar but the black coloration is replaced by brown and there’s a patch of blue on the hindwings.

In the butterfly stage, the antennae and abdomen are brownish-black, their head is reddish-brown, and the underside is a dull white.

The caterpillar stage of the blue pansy looks much different than the adult butterfly; the head of the caterpillar is orange and the body is black or brown with two spines. The chrysalis, or cocoon stage, is a muddy yellow to purplish color with dull creamy white lines throughout the pupae.

The blue pansy butterfly is native to Africa; however, it can also be found in southeast Asia and Australia. There are 26 local subspecies throughout this range that can be found in open lands with grassy patches and plenty of sun.

Their main diet includes various flow nectar. The caterpillars eat from a variety of plants depending on their location such as Violaceae and Hygrophila.

Blue pansy butterflies have simple courtship ritual where the male skillfully flies around the female, diving and flying around her. After mating, the female lays single green eggs on new leaves of common host plants. The .7 mm eggs have a globe-like shape with 12 raised ridges from the top end to the base.

These butterflies go by different names depending on their location; in India they’re called blue pansy, in Africa they’re the eyed pansy, and in Australia they’re called the blue argus.

When flying, the blue pansy butterflies fly in a rigid flap and glide fashion while defending its territory from other butterflies.

Blue pansies can usually be solitary but are sometimes seen in large “all boy groups.”