Iolaus lulua
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Iolaus lulua faces severe pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion across its limited range in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mining activities, particularly for minerals and metals, have fragmented its forest habitat and degraded the specific microhabitats required by this butterfly species. The species' dependence on particular host plants makes it especially vulnerable to habitat modification and forest clearing.
Habitat
This butterfly species inhabits primary and secondary tropical forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly areas with dense canopy cover and specific understory vegetation. It requires intact forest ecosystems that support its larval host plants and maintain the humid microclimate conditions essential for its lifecycle.
