# Common Geranium-bronze (*Cacyreus marshalli*) The Common Geranium-bronze is a small butterfly with beautiful brown and orange wings. It loves to flutter around gardens and fields, bringing joy to everyone who sees it. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Gardens and fields - **Also known as:** Geranium Bronze Butterfly ![Common Geranium-bronze](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cacyreus_marshalli_adult.jpg&width=800) Photo: M.violante 12:38, 28 June 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cacyreus_marshalli_adult.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Geranium-bronze is a small, brownish-grey butterfly. Its hindwings often feature small, metallic bronze-green spots and delicate hair-like tails. This subtle iridescence helps distinguish it from other small brown butterflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Cacyreus ## Interesting facts - Adults drink flower nectar, but their larvae are tiny plant wreckers! - Its caterpillars are expert tunnellers, boring hidden paths inside geranium stems! - This small butterfly is a master of invading new territories, rapidly expanding its range! - Unlike many butterflies, its favorite plants are often found in garden pots! ## Special abilities - **Stealthy Burrower:** Common Geranium-bronze larvae can bore into geranium stems, protecting them from predators while they feed and grow hidden inside. - **Rapid Generations:** Common Geranium-bronze can complete its life cycle quickly, allowing multiple generations to emerge throughout a single warm season. - **Disguise Mode:** Common Geranium-bronze has drab undersides to its wings that help them blend into foliage, hiding from hungry birds. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-30 mm - **Size:** 10-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers, while their hungry larvae munch on geranium plants. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on plant tissues by boring into stems and leaves, while adults consume nectar. - **Primary Foods:** Pelargonium zonale, Pelargonium x hortorum, Erodium cicutarium, Geranium molle - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Garden Geranium (*Pelargonium zonale*) — Larvae bore into stems and flower buds. - **Eats:** Redstem Filaree (*Erodium cicutarium*) — Caterpillars feed on the leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Great Tits prey on adult butterflies and caterpillars. - **Depends on:** [Lantana](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lantana) (*Lantana camara*) — Adult butterflies sip nectar from this common garden shrub. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Geranium-bronze? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Common Geranium-bronze's wingspan? 20-30 mm ### How big is Common Geranium-bronze? 10-15 mm ### How long does Common Geranium-bronze live? 7-14 days ### How fast can Common Geranium-bronze fly? 15 km/h ### What does Common Geranium-bronze eat? Adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers, while their hungry larvae munch on geranium plants. ### Where is Common Geranium-bronze usually found? Gardens and fields ### How does Common Geranium-bronze hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bioparc Valencia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bioparc-valencia) — Valencian Community, ES · Zoo - [Jardín del Turia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jard-n-del-turia) — Spain, ES · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Common Geranium-bronze: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-geranium-bronze)