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Boisduval's Blue

Icaricia icarioides

Boisduval's Blue is a small, beautiful butterfly with bright blue wings. They flit around flowers and are often seen in sunny spots, making them a lovely sight in nature.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Boisduval's Blue is a small butterfly with males sporting iridescent blue upperwings bordered thinly in black. Females vary from mostly blue to entirely brown with some blue scaling. Their undersides are pale gray or brownish, marked with distinctive black spots encircled in white.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderLepidopteraFamilyLycaenidaeGenusIcaricia
Boisduval's Blue
colorful trait badgegrassland trait badgeherbivorous trait badgepollinator_magnet trait badge
Boisduval's Blue

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

6

Interesting facts

Caterpillars offer ants a sugary treat called honeydew for protection!

Males are brilliant iridescent blue, but females are often duller brown!

Some Boisduval's Blues live high in chilly mountain meadows!

They only lay their eggs on specific types of lupine plants!

Special abilities

Ability

Spotty Shield

Boisduval's Blue has spotted undersides that help them blend with foliage, making it harder for predators to spot them.

Ability

Plant Whisperer

Boisduval's Blue caterpillars can only eat specific lupine plants, having evolved to process these unique leaves.

Ability

Shimmering Signal

Boisduval's Blue males have iridescent blue scales that reflect light to create a dazzling display, attracting mates.

Ability

Ant Alliance

Boisduval's Blue caterpillars produce sweet honeydew, which attracts ants that protect them from predators.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
25-35 mm
Size
10-15 mm
Lifespan
7-14 days
Flight Speed
10-20 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Adults sip flower nectar; caterpillars munch on specific lupine leaves.

Age differences: Larvae eat lupine leaves; adults primarily drink nectar.

Primary Foods

  • Flower nectar
  • Lupinus polyphyllus
  • Lupinus latifolius
  • Lupinus arboreus

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

depends on

Bigleaf Lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus

Host plant for caterpillars

symbiotic with

Silky Ant

Formica fusca

Ants protect caterpillars for honeydew

eaten by

Black-billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Birds prey on butterflies

pollinates

Coastal Bush Lupine

Lupinus arboreus

Adults help fertilize flowers

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always watch butterflies from a distance so you don't scare them away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Boisduval's Blue?

The easiest way to identify Boisduval's Blue is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

What is Boisduval's Blue's wingspan?

25-35 mm

How big is Boisduval's Blue?

10-15 mm

How long does Boisduval's Blue live?

7-14 days

How fast can Boisduval's Blue fly?

10-20 km/h

What does Boisduval's Blue eat?

Adults sip flower nectar; caterpillars munch on specific lupine leaves.

Where is Boisduval's Blue usually found?

Grasslands

How does Boisduval's Blue hunt?

Foraging

Snap Map

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