# Lang's Short-tailed Blue (*Leptotes pirithous*) Lang's Short-tailed Blue is a tiny butterfly with beautiful blue wings. They flutter around flowers and are often seen in sunny places enjoying the warmth of the sun. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Lang's Short-tailed Blue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Butterfly_%282%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: claudiogennari, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Butterfly_%282%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Lang's Short-tailed Blue is a small butterfly, with males displaying vibrant iridescent blue upperwings and females having more brown with blue near the body. Its underside is mottled grey-brown with delicate white lines, small black spots, and often two tiny "tails" on each hindwing, each with an orange-ringed black eyespot. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Leptotes ## Interesting facts - Its amazing caterpillars can convince ants to be their protectors by offering sweet treats! - Males flash iridescent blue wings in the sun, making them look like flying jewels! - Some butterflies have fake 'eyes' and 'tails' on their wings to confuse hungry birds! - This tiny butterfly is a super traveler, sometimes flying across entire seas to new homes! ## Special abilities - **Tricky Tail Feints:** Lang's Short-tailed Blue has small tails and eye-spots on its hindwings that trick predators into attacking the wrong end, helping them escape. - **Master of Disguise:** This butterfly can quickly blend in with its surroundings due to its mottled grey-brown underside, helping it hide from birds and other threats. - **Ant Bodyguards:** Lang's Short-tailed Blue caterpillars secrete sweet honeydew to attract and 'pay' ants, which then protect them from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-30 mm - **Size:** 8-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip sweet nectar from flowers, while their caterpillars munch on plant leaves. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars eat plant leaves, but adults drink flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, clover leaves, alfalfa leaves, pea plants, genista - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Alfalfa](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alfalfa) (*Medicago sativa*) — Its caterpillars feed on the leaves. - **Symbiotic with:** [Black Garden Ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-garden-ant) (*Lasius niger*) — Ants protect its caterpillars in exchange for honeydew. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Blue Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-blue-tit) (*Cyanistes caeruleus*) — This bird is a common predator of the butterfly. - **Eats:** [White Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover) (*Trifolium repens*) — A host plant for the caterpillars. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [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 around butterflies so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lang's Short-tailed 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 Lang's Short-tailed Blue's wingspan? 20-30 mm ### How big is Lang's Short-tailed Blue? 8-15 mm ### How long does Lang's Short-tailed Blue live? 7-14 days ### What does Lang's Short-tailed Blue eat? Adults sip sweet nectar from flowers, while their caterpillars munch on plant leaves. ### Where is Lang's Short-tailed Blue usually found? Grasslands ### How does Lang's Short-tailed Blue hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Lang's Short-tailed Blue have? 6 ## 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: [Lang's Short-tailed Blue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/langs-short-tailed-blue)