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Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, [1] whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly species.
Gossamer-wings are the smallest butterflies. Their wingspans range from 0.5-2.0 inches (1.2-5.1 cm). There are about 7,000 species worldwide with about 139 species in North America. Gossamer-wings include the subfamilies hairstreaks, harvesters, coppers, and blues. Their flights vary from the fast, erratic hairstreaks to the slow, bouncy blues.
The blue copper is part of the family Lycaenidae and the subfamily Lycaeninae. [4] The upper wing surface of the males is sky blue with dark veins. On females, the upper wing has more of a copper color with black dots. The wings are outlined in white. Both the male and female undersides are white or off-white, with brown-black dots on the forewing.
Lycaena rubidus, the ruddy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America. [3] Adults lay their eggs on plants of the genus Rumex, which later become the larval food plants. This butterfly gets its name from the brightly colored wings of the males, which are important in sexual selection. [4]
All species of the Lycaenidae family, except Genus of Everes, lack tails on the hindwing. The Polyommatinae has a false head on the back of its wings. [4] Almost all Polyommatinae have dots on the underside of its wings, with a medium to small wingspan ranging from .6-1.25 inches. Along with its wingspan, the Polyommatinae is a small butterfly. [2]
Pseudolycaena marsyas has a wingspan of about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in), a quite huge size in hairstreaks (hence the common name "giant hairstreak"). The uppersides of the wings are usually metallic blue, with hues varying from cobalt blue to turquoise blue depending on location.
Aslauga is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.They are associated with other insects and found only in the Afrotropical realm.They are small usually grey-blue or grey-purple butterflies with a distinctive, but widely varied wing shape, especially pronounced in A. pandora. [1]
Pupa yellowish brown like leather, spotted with black; it lies free on the ground (Fryer). The butterflies appear at the end of May, in the northern districts a little later (early in June) and are found until late in July in luxuriant meadows, where they settle on umbellifers or in the grass, the males always with the wings half open.