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Echinargus isola
Reakirt's Blue is a small, beautiful butterfly with bright blue wings. They flutter around flowers and are often seen in sunny places during warm months.
Habitat: Grasslands
The Reakirt's Blue is a tiny butterfly with iridescent violet-blue upperwings on males and brownish-blue on females, often with dark borders. Its underside is distinctive white or light gray, adorned with several small black spots, sometimes showing faint orange hints on the hindwings.
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Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
12
Its caterpillars are slug-like and often attended by protective ants.
Males have brilliant iridescent blue wings that shimmer in the sunlight!
This tiny blue butterfly is one of the smallest found in North America!
You can find adult Reakirt's Blues flying almost any day in warm regions.
Reakirt's Blue larvae can secrete sugary honeydew that attracts ants, which then protect them from predators.
Reakirt's Blue larvae depend exclusively on specific legume plants for food, ensuring their growth and survival.
The underside wing patterns of the Reakirt's Blue have small black spots that help them blend with dappled light.
Adults sip sweet nectar from flowers, while young caterpillars munch on leaves of special plants.
Age differences: Larvae eat plant parts (leaves, flowers, seeds); adults consume liquid nectar.

Medicago sativa
Host plant for larvae.
Formica pallidefulva
Protects larvae for honeydew.

Sayornis saya
Prey for insectivorous birds.
Rudbeckia hirta
Sips nectar and helps pollination.
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
No aliases listed yet.
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always watch butterflies from a distance so you don't scare them away.
The easiest way to identify Reakirt's Blue is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
20-30 mm
8-15 mm
7-21 days
15 km/h
Adults sip sweet nectar from flowers, while young caterpillars munch on leaves of special plants.
Grasslands
Foraging
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
May 5, 2026
Rancho EstellePhoto attribution
(c) Mike Ostrowski, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Colorado, US
You might spot Common Starlily and Wholeleaf Paintbrush.
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Oklahoma, US
You might spot Monarch, American Bumble Bee, and Gulf Fritillary.
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Iowa, US
You might spot Silver-Spotted Skipper, Question Mark, and Banded Pennant.
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Texas, US
You might spot Giraffes, African Lion, and Eastern Black Rhinoceros.
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Kansas, US
You might spot African Elephant, Gorilla, and Panthera Pardus Orientalis.
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Oklahoma, US
You might spot Monarch, Duck, and American Bumble Bee.
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