Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site

Lycaenidae

The Gossamer-wings are a very diverse and complex family with at least 4750 species worldwide. In California, they can be grouped into the coppers (subfamily Lycaeninae), the blues (subfamily Polyommatinae), and the hairstreaks (subfamily Theclinae). Many species have mutualistic relationships with ants (myrmecophily) where the caterpillar excretes complex carbohydrates through specialized glands for the ants (similar to aphids). In return, the ants defend the caterpillar from predators and parasitoids. While this relationship is usually facultative, the mutualism turns into trickery in some Lycaenid species and the butterfly caterpillars switch from being herbivores to become obligate predators on ant larvae inside the ant mound. As long as the caterpillar continues to produces sugary rewards for the ants, the ants are willing to accept, or are oblivious to, the carnage around them. Other Lycaenid caterpillars are predators on aphids being tended by ants.

	"Agricultural" Melissa Blue Lycaeides melissa melissa
	(Western) Pygmy Blue Brephidium exile
	Acmon Blue Plebejus acmon
	Anna Blue Lycaeides idas anna
	Arrowhead Blue Glaucopsyche piasus
	Behr's Hairstreak Satyrium behrii
	Blue Copper, "Varied Blue" Lycaena heteronea
	Bramble Hairstreak Callophrys dumetorum
	California Hairstreak Satyrium californica
	Desert Tailed Copper Lycaena arota virginiensis
	Dotted Blue Euphilotes enoptes
	Eastern Tailed Blue Everes comyntas
	Edith's Copper Lycaena editha
	Gold-Hunter's Hairstreak Satyrium auretorum
	Golden Hairstreak, Golden Oak Hairstreak Habrodais grunus
	Gorgon Copper Lycaena gorgon
	Gray Blue Agriades podarce
	Gray Hairstreak, Common Hairstreak Strymon melinus
	Great Copper Lycaena xanthoides
	Great Purple Hairstreak Atlides halesus
	Greenish Blue Plebejus saepiolus
	Icarioides Blue, Boisduval's Blue Plebejus icarioides
	Johnson's Hairstreak Mitoura johnsoni
	Juniper Hairstreak Mitoura gryneus chalcosiva
	Lembert's Green Hairstreak Callophrys sheridanii lemberti
	Lupine Blue Plebejus lupini
	Lustrous Copper Lycaena cupreus
	Marine Blue Leptotes marina
	Mariposa Copper Lycaena mariposa
	Moss' Elfin Incisalia mossii
	Mountain-Mahogany Hairstreak Satyrium tetra
	Nelson's Hairstreak Mitoura gryneus nelsoni
	Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides
	Reakirt's Blue Hemiargus isola
	Ruddy Copper Lycaena rubidus
	Sepia Hairstreak Satyrium saepium
	Shasta Blue Plebejus shasta
	Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus
	Snowy Copper, Lilac-Bordered Copper Lycaena nivalis
	Sonoran Blue Philotes sonorensis
	Sooty Gossamer-Wing Satyrium fuliginosum semiluna
	Sooty Gossamer-Wing Satyrium fuliginosum fuliginosum
	Spring Azure, Echo Blue Celastrina ladon echo
	Square-Spotted Blue Euphilotes battoides
	Tailed Copper Lycaena arota arota
	Thicket Hairstreak Mitoura spinetorum
	Western Brown Elfin Incisalia augustinus iroides
	Western Pine Elfin Incisalia eryphon
	Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula
	Willow Hairstreak Satyrium sylvinus