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Western Tailed-Blue

Cupido amyntula

The Western Tailed-Blue is a small butterfly with beautiful blue wings. It loves to flutter around flowers and is often seen in sunny places during warm days.

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The Western Tailed-Blue is a small butterfly, with males displaying iridescent blue upperwings, while females are more grayish-blue. Both sexes feature tiny, delicate 'tails' on their hindwings, alongside small black spots on their otherwise pale gray undersides.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenLepidopteraFamiliaLycaenidaeGéneroElkalyce
Western Tailed-Blue
solitary trait badgecolorful trait badgeherbivorous trait badgepollinator_magnet trait badge
Western Tailed-Blue

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

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Datos interesantes

It helps wildflowers grow by spreading pollen as it sips nectar.

Its caterpillar shares sweet 'honeydew' with ants who then guard it!

Many male butterflies gather at muddy puddles to sip vital salts.

This butterfly can spend the whole winter safely hidden as a pupa!

Habilidades especiales

Habilidad

Decoy Tails

Western Tailed-Blue has tiny wing tails that wiggle, making predators target the wrong end, allowing the butterfly to escape.

Habilidad

Ant Whisperer

Its caterpillars have special glands that secrete a sugary liquid, attracting ants who then protect them from other predators.

Habilidad

Leafy Camouflage

The pale, patterned underside of its wings helps the Western Tailed-Blue blend perfectly with bark or dry leaves when resting.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura
20-30 mm
Tamaño
10-15 mm
Esperanza de vida
30-270 días
Cantidad de patas
6

Dieta y alimentación

Adults sip flower nectar for energy, while caterpillars munch on the leaves of pea plants.

Diferencias por edad: Larvae (caterpillars) feed on plant leaves and buds; adults feed solely on flower nectar.

Alimentos principales

  • Flower nectar
  • Lupine leaves
  • Vetch leaves
  • Clover leaves

Método de búsqueda

  • Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Arctic Lupine

Lupinus arcticus

Larvae munch on its leaves and flower buds.

symbiotic with

Silky Ant

Formica fusca

Ants protect its caterpillars in exchange for sugary honeydew.

pollinates

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense

Sips nectar, carrying pollen between flowers.

eaten by

Flower Crab Spider

Misumena vatia

Can ambush butterflies resting on flowers.

Rasgos

También conocido como

Tailed Blue Butterfly

Colecciones

Seguridad

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿Cuál es el envergadura de Western Tailed-Blue?

20-30 mm

¿Cuál es el tamaño de Western Tailed-Blue?

10-15 mm

¿Cuál es el esperanza de vida de Western Tailed-Blue?

30-270 días

¿Qué come Western Tailed-Blue?

Adults sip flower nectar for energy, while caterpillars munch on the leaves of pea plants.

¿Dónde se encuentra normalmente Western Tailed-Blue?

Grasslands

¿Cómo caza Western Tailed-Blue?

Foraging

¿Cuál es el cantidad de patas de Western Tailed-Blue?

6

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