It is the second largest family of butterflies and are also known as gossamer-winged butterflies. They make up about 30% of all butterfly species!
Adults are small, brightly colored, and either blue or green as was our little blue friend. They also have hairy antenna-like tails with black and white rings.
Many species have a spot at the end of their tail which mimics their front. They turn around when landing and use this spot to confuse predators and make them wonder which end is really their front! This way, they can see the predator coming ahead of time and flee before they get snatched.
More than half (about 75%) of these butterflies rely on ants in one way or another. This relationship can be mutualistic (benefits both), parasitic (harms one and benefits the other), or predatory depending on the species. This is called myrmecophily. As a result of these relationships, many larvae have special glands that may produce secretions that attract or subdue ants! Some larvae can even make low vibrations and sounds which they use to communicate with the ants. How cool is that?
These butterflies eat pretty much anything. Some even exploit their relationship with ants and get the ants to feed them through regurgitation! In some species, ants protect the larvae while they eat their host plant in order to harvest the honeydew that the larvae produce. In others, this is only a mutual benefit for a while before the larvae start preying on the ants. In situations where they are in the ant nest, they usually grow up there and have to find their way out as adult butterflies so they can spread out their wings and start the rest of their lives.
I saw this butterfly as a flash of bright blue and we tried so hard to get photos of her. When she finally landed, she let me get pretty close so I got some pretty good shots! Always thankful for even the smallest critters can be the most beautiful. Keep any eye out and you might see one too!
Yours,
Jade
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