# Greenish Blue (*Icaricia saepiolus*) The Greenish Blue is a small butterfly with beautiful greenish-blue wings. It flutters around flowers and is often seen in sunny places, bringing joy to everyone who spots it. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Greenish Blue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Icaricia_saepiolus_P1480548a.jpg&width=800) Photo: xpda, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Icaricia_saepiolus_P1480548a.jpg) ## Appearance The Greenish Blue male has brilliant, iridescent blue-green upper wings with narrow black edges. Females are duller blue or brown, sometimes with more extensive dark markings. Its underside is grayish-white with small black spots, each ringed with white, lacking any orange patches. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Icaricia ## Interesting facts - During winter, its chrysalis hides perfectly, sometimes for months, until spring arrives. - Its caterpillars snack on tasty pea and clover plants, which are called legumes. - Male butterflies flash brilliant iridescent blue, while females are often duller with more brown. - Some Greenish Blues fly great distances seeking new fields of their favorite food plants! ## Special abilities - **Iridescent Flash:** Greenish Blue has special wing scales that reflect light in shimmering blue-green, helping them attract mates. - **Ant Protector Pact:** Greenish Blue caterpillars secrete sweet honeydew, attracting ants that protect them from predators. - **Nectar Straw:** Greenish Blue has a long, straw-like proboscis that helps them sip sweet nectar from deep inside flowers. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Greenish Blue's gray-spotted underwings allow it to blend into its surroundings when resting, hiding from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-30 mm - **Size:** 10-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 5-15 days - **Flight Speed:** 10-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Caterpillars munch on plants, while adult butterflies enjoy sweet flower nectar. - **Age differences:** Larvae (caterpillars) eat leaves of legume plants; adults drink flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** clover leaves, lupine leaves, vetch leaves, flower nectar, honeydew - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Ants protect caterpillars in exchange for honeydew. - **Eats:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Caterpillars feed on the leaves of this host plant. - **Eats:** Bigleaf Lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) — Larvae also consume leaves of this common plant. - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Adult butterflies are a food source for various birds. - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Adults visit these flowers for nectar, spreading pollen. ## 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 Be gentle and quiet when watching butterflies so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Greenish Blue? 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 Greenish Blue's wingspan? 20-30 mm ### How big is Greenish Blue? 10-15 mm ### How long does Greenish Blue live? 5-15 days ### How fast can Greenish Blue fly? 10-20 km/h ### What does Greenish Blue eat? Caterpillars munch on plants, while adult butterflies enjoy sweet flower nectar. ### Where is Greenish Blue usually found? Grasslands ### How does Greenish Blue hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [St. Elmo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-elmo) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood ## 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: [Greenish Blue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greenish-blue)