# Melissa Blue (*Plebejus melissa*) The Melissa Blue is a tiny butterfly with beautiful blue wings. It flutters around flowers and loves sunny days, making it a delightful sight in gardens and meadows. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Melissa Blue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lycaeides_melissa_samuelis.JPG&width=800) Photo: Hollingsworth, J & K, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lycaeides_melissa_samuelis.JPG) ## Appearance The Melissa Blue has iridescent sky-blue upperwings with a thin black border if it's a male, while females are often brownish-blue with orange spots. Its underside is grayish-white, marked with black spots and a distinct row of orange spots along the hindwing. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Lycaeides ## Interesting facts - Adults taste with their feet, sensing if a flower is yummy for nectar! - Many females surprisingly show off beautiful orange and brown markings, not just blue! - Melissa Blue caterpillars look like tiny green slugs, not fuzzy worms! - They can complete two or three full life cycles (generations) in a single summer! ## Special abilities - **Sweet Bodyguard Recruiter:** Melissa Blue caterpillars can release sweet liquid to attract ants that protect them from hungry predators. - **Nectar Sipper:** Melissa Blue has a long, straw-like proboscis that helps them reach delicious nectar deep inside flowers. - **Host Plant Navigator:** Female Melissa Blues can precisely find specific legume plants to lay their eggs on, ensuring their babies have food. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-38 mm - **Size:** 15-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Melissa Blues sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on plant leaves. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat specific plant leaves, while adults exclusively drink nectar from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** Flower nectar, Lupine leaves, Milk-vetch leaves, Alfalfa leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Silky Lupine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silky-lupine) (*Lupinus sericeus*) — Caterpillars eat its leaves as their primary food source. - **Depends on:** Soft Milk-vetch (*Astragalus mollis*) — Another important host plant for the hungry Melissa Blue caterpillars. - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — A common bird that will prey on adult Melissa Blue butterflies. - **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — This spider camouflages on flowers, ambushing visiting butterflies. ## 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 Melissa 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 Melissa Blue's wingspan? 25-38 mm ### How big is Melissa Blue? 15-20 mm ### How long does Melissa Blue live? 7-14 days ### How fast can Melissa Blue fly? 15 km/h ### What does Melissa Blue eat? Adult Melissa Blues sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on plant leaves. ### Where is Melissa Blue usually found? Grasslands ### How does Melissa Blue hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Toadstool Geologic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/toadstool-geologic-park) — Nebraska, US · Nature Reserve - [Lehman Orchard and Aqueduct](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lehman-orchard-and-aqueduct) — Nevada, US · Historic District - [Scotts Bluff National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scotts-bluff-national-monument) — Nebraska, US · National Park [View all places to see Melissa Blue](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/melissa-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: [Melissa Blue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/melissa-blue)