# Marine Blue (*Leptotes marina*) The Marine Blue is a small butterfly with beautiful blue wings. It loves to flutter around flowers and is often seen in sunny places. This little insect is a joy to watch as it dances in the air! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 31 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Marine Blue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Marine_Blue%252C_Leptotes_marina.jpg&width=800) Photo: Michael Hodge, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marine_Blue%252C_Leptotes_marina.jpg) ## Appearance The Marine Blue has iridescent blue-violet upper wings that shift color in sunlight, contrasting with silvery-white undersides featuring small black spots. It also has delicate, thin tails on its hindwings, making it distinct among small butterflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Leptotes ## Interesting facts - Some Marine Blue caterpillars have a special gland that offers sweet liquid to ants! - The adult butterflies love visiting sunny spots to warm up their blue wings before they fly. - The caterpillars often change color to perfectly match the flowers or pods they are eating. - These tiny butterflies are known to fly hundreds of kilometers, even across open ocean! ## Special abilities - **Decoy Tail Defense:** Marine Blue has tiny tails on its hindwings that can fool predators into attacking the wrong end, helping them escape. - **Shifting Sky Camo:** Marine Blue's iridescent blue wings change color with light, helping them blend perfectly with the sky or stand out to mates. - **Speedy Life Cycle:** Marine Blue can grow from egg to adult butterfly very quickly, allowing them to have many generations in one year. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-30 mm - **Size:** 10-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 10-20 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar from flowers, while caterpillars munch on leaves, flowers, or seeds of certain plants. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat plant parts; adults feed on flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, legume leaves, legume flowers, legume seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Nuttall's Milkvetch (*Astragalus nuttallianus*) — Larvae feed on its leaves and flowers. - **Eats:** Green Anole (*Anolis carolinensis*) — A common predator of adult butterflies. - **Symbiotic with:** Pale-footed Ant (*Formica pallidefulva*) — Ants sometimes tend larvae for their sweet secretions. ## 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. - [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. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [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 Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Marine 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 Marine Blue's wingspan? 20-30 mm ### How big is Marine Blue? 10-15 mm ### How long does Marine Blue live? 10-20 days ### How fast can Marine Blue fly? 12 km/h ### What does Marine Blue eat? Adults sip nectar from flowers, while caterpillars munch on leaves, flowers, or seeds of certain plants. ### Where is Marine Blue usually found? Coastal areas ### How does Marine Blue hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Barrio De Analco Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrio-de-analco-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/childs-irving-hydroelectric-facilities) — Arizona, US · Historic District - [Desert Garden Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-garden-conservatory) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jasper-ridge-biological-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Mesa Grande](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesa-grande) — Arizona, US · Historic Site - [South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-bonnie-brae-tract-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Marine Blue](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/marine-blue) ## 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: [Marine Blue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marine-blue)